Cruise ship-cargo ship collision on the Mississippi River... 129 passengers rescued

When the cargo ship hit, the cruise ship flipped on its side and submerged in the river.

Escape from the 19-degree river wearing a life jacket... “Climb over the railing to survive”

(Los Angeles = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kyung-yoon Kim = A cargo ship and a cruise ship collided on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana, and rescue operations are underway for about 100 passengers.

CNN and the Associated Press reported that around noon on the 13th (local time), the cargo ship Atlantic Asphalt collided with the side of the American Heritage, a cruise ship that was docked with 129 passengers on board.

As a result of this accident, the cruise ship flipped on its side and was submerged in water, and passengers were seen floating on the river wearing life jackets. The current water temperature in the Mississippi River is 19 degrees Celsius.

At least 12 people have been rescued so far, but the exact number of injured has not yet been calculated.

Rhonda Akers, who was on board the cruise ship, told NBC News, "After the first collision, there were more collisions and the boat flipped over," adding, "I had to climb over the railing with other people to survive."

Vessel traffic was completely restricted in this area, and a rescue team was dispatched.

“We are mobilizing all resources to rescue the missing passengers,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullen said on