Mississippi River Tanker Collision Leaves Cruise Ship Partially Submerged

A tanker collision on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday (Nov. 13) left a river cruise ship partially submerged, prompting an emergency response and passenger rescue operations.

The cruise ship was docked and in the process of disembarking its approximately 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, according to Fox News.

The tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, collided with the American Heritage, a river cruise ship operated by American Cruise Lines. The collision occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. Brasília time), near the Crescent City Connection bridge in New Orleans, according to local television station WDSU.

Port police, the New Orleans Police and Fire Departments, the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to the scene.

In a statement, the Port of New Orleans said its priority was ensuring the safety of passengers, crew members and emergency responders involved in the rescue operation.

The port said the incident was still unfolding. As of the report’s latest update, the number of injuries and the cause of the collision had not been confirmed.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he was aware of the accident and was heading to New Orleans at approximately 2 p.m. local time (5 p.m. Brasília time), according to Fox News.

Source: G1

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