The key facts

  • The tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck the moored American Heritage at around 12:30 local time
  • About 129 passengers were on board; the ship listed and partially submerged
  • The rescue operation continues; the number of injured and the cause are unconfirmed

Collision at the dock

On Friday, the tanker Atlantic Asphalt rammed the American Heritage cruise ship operated by American Cruise Lines, which was moored at the dock near the Port of New Orleans administration building on the Mississippi River. According to the WDSU television station, cited by Anadolu, the collision occurred at around 12:30 local time. The vessel had docked roughly two hours earlier to begin disembarking passengers, and at the moment of impact there were, according to the port (Port NOLA), about 129 passengers and an unspecified number of crew members on board.

What the footage showed

Recordings from the scene, shown by WDSU and quoted by The National, captured the larger tanker approaching the paddlewheel vessel moored at the dock, after which the ships collided. Later footage showed the American Heritage listing to one side and partially submerged in the river; euronews reported that people in life jackets were in the water or clinging to the railingsas one side of the ship went under. Deutsche Welle also reported, citing footage from the scene, that the paddlewheel cruise ship capsized after the impact.

Rescue operation and open questions

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno stated that several people have been rescued and the search-and-rescue operation is ongoing. Port police, the city's fire and police services, the U.S. Coast Guard and medics have been deployed to the scene; passengers are being taken to the port administration building for medical checks and assistance. The Port of New Orleans emphasized in a statement: “Our immediate priority is the safety of all passengers, crew members and first responders,” adding that this is “an active and evolving incident.” The number of injured and the cause of the collision have not yet been confirmed; authorities also reported no fatalities at the time of publication.

What is known about the vessel

According to the American Cruise Lines website, cited by The National, the American Heritage is a classic paddlewheel river vessel with a capacity of up to 180 passengers, last refurbished in 2022. Significant details of the incident remain unknown: the cause of the collision, the exact number of injured and the condition of the vessel; the reports were published within hours of the accident, and the picture may be updated.