A tanker slammed into a cruise ship docked on the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans Friday afternoon, sending passengers into the water and triggering a scramble by local, state and federal rescue crews. The collision happened at about 12:30 p.m. when the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the American Cruise Lines vessel American Heritage, which had docked roughly two hours earlier to begin letting passengers off.
Nearly 130 People Were Aboard When Tanker Struck
Port NOLA said approximately 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, were aboard the American Heritage at the time of the collision, according to WDSU. CNN separately reported that more than 130 people were onboard the river cruise when the crash occurred, according to CNN. The vessel had been docked on the Mississippi River when the tanker collided with it, interrupting what should have been a routine disembarkation.
As the station's report notes, rescues were underway for at least 12 people still in the water following the crash. The Guardian, citing local media reports, said the cruise liner was taking on water as rescue efforts continued, per The Guardian.
Multiple Agencies Rushed to the Scene
Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency medical personnel were all on scene conducting rescue and response operations, according to The Hill. Port officials said the exact number of injuries and the cause of the allision had not yet been confirmed.
The Port of New Orleans said passenger, crew and first-responder safety was its immediate priority, describing the incident as active and evolving in a statement given to CNN. Fox 8 Local First, citing Port NOLA, reported that passengers were being brought inside the Port of New Orleans Administration Building as the response continued, according to the FOX 8 Local First report.
Governor Says He Was Heading to New Orleans
Governor Jeff Landry confirmed he was aware of the incident and was heading to New Orleans as of 2 p.m. Friday, according to the same Fox 8 Local First report. Emergency response teams continued working the scene as officials stressed that both the scope of injuries and the cause of the collision remained unconfirmed.
