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Tanker loses control and collides with cruise ship in New Orleans

Summarised from 15 outlets · 39 reports · Updated 15 Nov, 05:01 · Archive

A tanker collided with a docked cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, capsizing the vessel but resulting in no deaths.

A tanker lost control and collided with a docked cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday at approximately 12:30pm local time. The Atlantic Asphalt, a 520-foot cargo vessel, struck the American Heritage, a five-storey paddlewheel cruise ship operated by American Cruise Lines, while passengers were beginning to disembark. The collision caused the American Heritage to capsize and partially submerge in the river.

The cruise ship was carrying approximately 129 passengers, though some reports cited as many as 191 total passengers and crew. The vessel was finishing an eight-day cruise to Mississippi River destinations and had docked two hours early to begin letting passengers off. Video from the scene showed the much larger tanker hitting the smaller paddlewheel boat as the cruise ship listed sideways and took on water.

Rescue operations began immediately as people were seen in life jackets in the river and clinging to the vessel's railings. Roughly 100 people were pulled from the water by the US Coast Guard, other emergency services, and tugboat operators. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said at a press conference that all passengers and crew were accounted for, describing the outcome as 'a miracle on the Mississippi'.

Thirty-two people from the cruise ship were taken to hospitals, including two New Orleans Harbor Police officers who had entered the water to rescue passengers. All hospitalised individuals had non-critical injuries. Eight people remained hospitalised on Saturday, including two in serious condition. The American Heritage's captain, Leonard Stewart, was injured but remained on board until all passengers and crew were accounted for, making him the last person to leave the vessel. He initially refused medical treatment until he confirmed everyone's whereabouts.

The US Coast Guard indicated that the collision resulted from 'some type of a loss of steering' on the tanker. An investigation into the exact cause remained ongoing. The New York Post reported that the Atlantic Asphalt had previously been cited by the US Coast Guard, Canadian Coast Guard and European shipping regulators for various navigational and safety issues, including defective wiring, malfunctioning autopilot systems and improperly equipped lifeboats.

On Friday, the Port of New Orleans filed a federal lawsuit seeking over $1 million in damages against the tanker, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and its management company Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd. The port alleged the tanker and operating companies failed to avoid the collision with the stationary vessel, noting that a presumption of fault arises when a ship hits a stationary object. The port also obtained a federal court order authorising the seizure of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker. The Coast Guard prepared for a potentially weeks-long salvage operation to remove the capsized vessel and its fuel.

Tanker loses control and collides with cruise ship in New Orleans
Image: New York Post

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How it is being reported

In this story: American Heritage · Atlantic Asphalt · New Orleans · Mississippi River · Helena Moreno · American Cruise Lines · US Coast Guard · Nave Shipping SA

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log