Horror on Mississippi River as tanker hits cruise ship carrying 129 passengers
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: A collision between a passenger cruise vessel and a tanker turned a section of the Mississippi River in New Orleans into an emergency zone on Friday, November 13.
The crash near the city's port brought rescue crews rushing to the waterfront as they responded to the incident involving American Cruise Lines' riverboat and a much larger tanker.
At least 129 passengers were aboard the cruise ship when the vessels collided, prompting an urgent effort to assist those caught in the accident.
Preliminary reports suggest the tanker may have lost power before the collision, though authorities have yet to confirm this.
Tanker collides with river cruise ship on Mississippi River A major rescue operation is underway in New Orleans after the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Atlantic Asphalt collided with the US-flagged river cruise ship American Heritage on 13 November. The passenger vessel was reportedly taking on water and was seen lying on her side, with around 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, aboard at the time of the collision. According to #MarineTraffic data, the 81-metre American Heritage had arrived from Natchez and docked in New Orleans at 16:53 UTC. At 18:29 UTC (12:29pm local time), MarineTraffic recorded a proximity event between the cruise ship and the 160-metre Atlantic Asphalt, coinciding with the reported time of the collision.
— MarineTraffic (@MarineTraffic) November 13, 2026
Tanker strikes docked riverboat
The crash happened at around 12.30 pm local time when the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the American Heritage near the Port of New Orleans.
The American Heritage is a paddlewheel riverboat operated by American Cruise Lines, a company specializing in domestic voyages along American waterways.
Built in 2015, the vessel has a stated passenger capacity of 150.
The passenger vessel had reportedly reached the port roughly two hours earlier and was still docked when the impact sent it lurching sideways.
Videos from the scene captured the riverboat at a steep angle, with parts of its decks appearing almost upright as water began entering the vessel.
The American Heritage was carrying 129 passengers, apart from its crew, when the collision occurred.
Our hearts are with the passengers, crew, and families affected by this afternoon’s collision between a passenger vessel and a tanker on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, near the Crescent City Connection. Coast Guard crews are on scene with the New Orleans Fire Department, New Orleans EMS, and other local partners, and more Coast Guard assets are on the way. Right now, our focus is on finding and caring for those who were aboard. The river is closed to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 to keep responders and mariners safe. Please stay clear of the area so emergency crews can work. This is a developing situation, and our team will share updates as soon as we can confirm them. Please follow @USCGHeartland for more.
— U.S. Coast Guard (@USCG) November 13, 2026
Images and videos circulating online showed people wearing life jackets in the Mississippi River, while others appeared to be holding on or moving across the sharply tilted vessel.
Several videos also showed emergency crews running to rescue those aboard the tilted vessel.
The incident triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving the US Coast Guard, New Orleans Fire Department, local police, port authorities and emergency medical teams.
Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser said at least 14 people had been pulled from the river, according to reports.
However, early updates did not establish how many people had ended up in the water or whether anyone had suffered serious injuries.
Rescues are underway in New Orleans after a tanker struck a cruise ship on the Mississippi River Friday evening. 📷: Kern Studios https://t.co/ZPspGtM0Yr https://t.co/30fn83oHVS
— wdsu (@wdsu) November 13, 2026
Rescue efforts underway
American Cruise Lines said it was coordinating with the Coast Guard and local authorities after the crash.
Port officials cautioned that the situation was still unfolding, with the circumstances leading to the collision and the extent of injuries yet to be determined.
Governor Jeff Landry said he was receiving updates from local officials and law enforcement and was heading to New Orleans.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard restricted vessel traffic along part of the Mississippi River to give emergency crews room to carry out rescue work and assess the damage.
Investigators had not yet established why the tanker struck the docked cruise ship.
