Tanker hits river cruise boat in New Orleans; 32 hurt, everyone accounted for

A tanker slammed into a docked river cruise boat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, November 13, flipping it on its side and throwing people into the water. Thirty-two people went to the hospital. None were critically hurt, and everyone has been accounted for. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno called it a "miracle on the Mississippi."

What happened

At about 12:30 p.m., the tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck the American Heritage, a paddlewheel riverboat run by American Cruise Lines, near the Port of New Orleans, according to New Orleans public radio station WWNO and ABC News.

The riverboat had been tied up at the dock for about two hours and was just starting to let passengers off. It had left New Orleans on a multi-day cruise up the river toward Baton Rouge and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was on its way back.

The impact knocked the riverboat onto its side. It started to sink, then rolled over, leaving people in the water. A crew member told ABC News he felt the boat shake and at first thought the captain was moving it. A restaurant manager on board described a hole in the hull in the dining room, and said the crew trains every week for emergencies like this one.

Reports differ on how many people were aboard. The company and the port put it at close to 130, according to WWNO. ABC News reported nearly 200. The boat can carry up to 150 guests.

The rescue

The response was fast, and it made the difference:

• Harbor police went into the river to pull people out.
• Firefighters lowered ladders over the dock.
• Other boats on the river jumped in to help.
• A New Orleans police drone that was already in the air on another call was sent over and spotted people in the water, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
• The Coast Guard sent small boats, cutters and helicopters.

Thirty passengers and two officers who ended up in the water were taken to hospitals with injuries that weren't critical, ABC News reported. No children were involved. The search and rescue effort is over.

Passengers were checked out, put up in local hotels and given rides, and some needed replacement prescriptions, according to WWNO. The city is working with the Red Cross and University Medical Center. American Cruise Lines said guests and crew were evacuated and that it was grateful to the responders.

What caused it

That's not known yet. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said the tanker appeared to have had a loss of steering, according to ABC News, and the mayor described it the same way. The exact reason hasn't been determined.

The Atlantic Asphalt is listed in public records as based in the Marshall Islands and owned by Chinese and Liberian companies, WWNO reported. The Coast Guard is investigating, and the National Transportation Safety Board is sending a team, expected to arrive by Saturday morning.

Gov. Jeff Landry said officials will "get down to the bottom of exactly what happened here." He said President Trump called him to pledge: "Whatever Louisiana needs, we will make sure that they get."

Burnham said the riverboat is "significantly damaged," with only a small part still above the waterline. Neither report mentioned any fuel or cargo spill from the tanker.

The river is closed

The Coast Guard closed the Mississippi to all ship traffic between mile markers 93 and 96, about a three-mile stretch at New Orleans. It's deciding how and when to reopen it. The city's cross-river ferry was suspended and a riverfront festival was canceled for the day.

What it means for you

First, the human part: a cruise boat full of passengers rolled over, and everyone got out alive. That's because of crews who train for this, police and firefighters who went into the water, and strangers on other boats who helped. It's worth saying thank you to them.

Second, the money part. The lower Mississippi is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the country, carrying grain, fuel and chemicals. A short closure is a nuisance. A long one can back up shipments of farm exports and fuel. Officials' priority now is getting the river open again safely.

And if you're booked on a river cruise, this is a rare event. The common-sense steps are the same as on any ship: listen to the safety briefing, know where your life jacket and the nearest exit are, and follow the crew's lead.

What to watch next

• The NTSB's first findings on why the tanker lost steering.
• When the Coast Guard reopens the river.
• Updates on the injured.