United States: A container ship and a cruise ship collide in New Orleans
The American Heritage boat capsized after the collision; approximately 129 passengers were on board
Quick Look
- A tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, collided with the American Heritage cruise ship docked in the port of New Orleans on the Mississippi River on Friday, causing it to capsize.
- Around 129 passengers were on board.
- Emergency services are mobilized and search operations continue.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The American Heritage cruise ship had just docked about two hours before the collision to begin disembarking its passengers. The tanker Atlantic Asphalt hit it head-on from the side.
The shock was violent. A tanker hit a cruise ship docked in the port of New Orleans, on the Mississippi, this Friday. The boat, called American Heritage and operated by American Cruise Lines, capsized on its side, according to sources cited by ABC News.
About 129 passengers were on board, in addition to crew members, according to the Port of New Orleans. The tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt, struck the boat head-on from the side.
Passengers evacuated, emergency services mobilized
The collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time. The cruise ship had just docked, about two hours earlier, to begin disembarking its passengers. “Several people have been rescued and search and rescue operations are continuing,” said a city spokesperson, quoted by ABC7.
American Cruise Lines said passengers and crew had been evacuated and that it was working in coordination with local authorities and the US Coast Guard. Firefighters, New Orleans police and the Coast Guard were mobilized to the scene. The number of injuries and the causes of the collision have not yet been confirmed.
Open Questions
- How many injured are there?
- What caused the collision?
- Are there people still missing?
