Tanker Slams Into Docked Cruise Ship In New Orleans; All 129 Passengers Safe | VIDEO

A tanker ship collided with an American Cruise Lines passenger vessel docked on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, triggering a major rescue operation after several people ended up in the water. All passengers and crew members were eventually accounted for, with no reports of fatalities or critical injuries, officials said.

The collision involved the American Heritage cruise ship and the Atlantic Asphalt tanker at around 12.30 pm local time (6.30 pm GMT), according to a statement from the Port of New Orleans. The passenger vessel was carrying approximately 129 passengers, in addition to its crew, when the tanker struck it.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno described the rescue operation as a remarkable multi-agency effort, calling the incident a "truly a miracle on the Mississippi". Officials said several people had been pulled from the river following the collision.

Watch the moment a tanker struck a cruise ship in New Orleans. Rescues are underway. 📷: Kern Studios https://t.co/ZPspGtM0Yr https://t.co/O1qGr8kImf

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All Passengers And Crew Accounted For

Moreno confirmed at a news conference that no passengers or crew members remained unaccounted for. She credited the successful rescue effort to the coordinated response of multiple agencies, particularly given the dangerous conditions in the Mississippi River.

The mayor said those injured in the incident were aboard the American Heritage and had mostly suffered bumps and bruises. Authorities did not immediately disclose the total number of injured people.

Earlier, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said his department was deploying all available resources to locate missing passengers. In a social media post, he said the department was working closely with state officials to support the rescue operation.

The New Orleans mayor's office also confirmed that multiple people had been rescued, while search-and-rescue efforts were initially continuing. The US Coast Guard said it had responded to the collision and closed all river traffic in the surrounding area.

Investigation Under Way To Establish Cause Of Collision

Authorities have yet to establish what caused the tanker to collide with the passenger vessel. Moreno said investigators would examine whether the Atlantic Asphalt experienced a possible loss of steering before striking the American Heritage.

An emergency response source had earlier raised the possibility of a steering failure aboard the tanker, although officials had not confirmed this explanation.

According to Port of New Orleans press secretary Kimberly Curth, the American Heritage had docked at the port approximately two hours before the collision to begin disembarking passengers.

American Cruise Lines said it was coordinating with the US Coast Guard and local authorities following the incident. The company confirmed that passengers and crew members had been evacuated and expressed concern for everyone involved.

The American Heritage, which was built in 2015, has a passenger capacity of 150, according to information on the company's website. Local television footage showed the vessel listing heavily to one side following the collision.