A tanker slammed into a docked river cruise ship on the Mississippi in New Orleans on Friday, sending the vessel capsizing. Roughly 100 people were pulled from the water, and officials confirmed everyone survived.
Miracle on the Mississippi as All Aboard Rescued
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the American Heritage near the Port of New Orleans around 12:30 p.m. local time, causing the cruise ship to take on water before it capsized.
The vessel, which had been docked for about two hours, began sinking rapidly.
All 191 passengers and crew were accounted for, though eight remained hospitalized Saturday, including two in serious condition, while the rest were stable, officials said.
Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham announced crews were preparing to remove 16,000 gallons of fuel before salvage could begin, and divers would assess the capsized hull while pollution teams monitored the river for leaks.
Mayor Helena Moreno said the captain stayed aboard until every person was accounted for, becoming the last to leave the vessel, and credited life jackets and swift emergency response for preventing fatalities.
Investigators are looking into a possible steering issue on the tanker, though the exact cause of the collision remains unknown.
The NTSB arrived Saturday after travel delays, and the Coast Guard has partially reopened the river to two-way traffic while maintaining a 500‑foot safety zone around the wreck.
American Cruise Lines is coordinating assistance for displaced passengers as the weeks‑long recovery operation continues.
The incident follows a separate tragedy in New York Harbor where a boat capsized, killing two people, including an infant, and rescuing twelve.
Brittany Miller is a Fox News Digital breaking news writer and former Independent reporter who graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.
