Near tragedy in New Orleans. A tanker rammed a river cruise boat that was in port with around 180 passengers on board. At the time of the collision, the passengers were about to disembark and a dozen of them fell into the water. The vessel remained partially submerged.
All passengers and crew members were rescued, the authorities speak of a “miracle on the Mississippi”. The fact that the accident occurred in port was a decisive factor in averting the worst. Firefighters, law enforcement, port authorities and emergency medical personnel intervened.
Oil tanker crashes into a cruise ship – Pictures
The vessel – the American Heritage managed by the American Cruise Lines company – was damaged and tilted until it ended up on its side due to the impact with the Atlantic Asphalt tanker. As mentioned, 12 people ended up in the water. However, 32 arrived at the hospital, none in critical condition.
“American Cruise Lines can confirm that our riverboat, the American Heritage, was involved in a collision while docked in New Orleans. Guests and crew have been evacuated; we are deeply concerned for everyone involved,” the company said in a statement without providing details on the conditions of passengers and crew.
The causes of the accident
It is not yet clear why the tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, collided with the boat, which had completed docking about two hours before the impact.
American Cruise Lines can confirm that our riverboat, American Heritage, was involved in a collision while it was docked in New Orleans. We are in close coordination with the US Coast Guard and local authorities. Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved. We will share more information as it becomes available.
— American Cruise Lines (@American_Cruise) November 13, 2026