First responders rescued 130 people after the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the docked American Heritage cruise ship on Friday. The collision occurred around 12:30pm or 13:30 EST when the cargo vessel hit the paddlewheeler, causing it to list and eventually roll onto its side in the Mississippi River.
A miracle on the Mississippi
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno called the rescue a "miracle on the Mississippi" because zero passengers or crew members were unaccounted for. About 129 passengers and crew members were on the American Cruise Lines vessel when the impact happened, though nearly 90 passengers had already begun disembarking. Thirty-two people from the riverboat went to local hospitals with non-critical injuries.
The incident happened as the American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi. Witness Jamie Holford told CBS that the crash sounded like "tons of steel crunching" and looked like "something off the Titanic." He observed passengers and crew members "hollering" and "crying" while trying to exit the sinking ship. One employee at the nearby Ernest N Morial Convention Center heard "desperate shrieks" and saw the tip of the vessel tilt.
| Vessel Feature | American Heritage | Atlantic Asphalt |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Paddle-wheel cruise ship | Oil tanker |
| Length | 81 meters | 160 meters |
| Capacity | Up to 150 guests | 17,764 metric tons deadweight |
| Built | 2015 | 2017 |
Investigation into steering loss
US Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham said there seems to be some type of a loss of steering on the Atlantic Asphalt. This potential mechanical failure led to the tanker T-boning the side of the cruise ship near the Algiers Point neighborhood. Maritime law expert Martin J Davies noted the tanker narrowly avoided hitting the Crescent City Connection bridge, which carries 160,000 cars daily.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash following comments from US House majority leader Steve Scalise. Governor Jeff Landry pledged to investigate the event, noting the Mississippi River presents significant challenges. While the rescue succeeded, the Atlantic Asphalt previously faced a C$7,800 fine from Canadian authorities in 2020 for a violation of the Canada Shipping Act.
