A tanker hit a cruise ship. They're already talking about the "Miracle on the Mississippi"

Passengers on board the damaged ship were found after port workers, firefighters and witnesses rushed to help and pulled them from the water, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said at a press conference, quoted by Reuters.

"Miracle on the Mississippi"

Praising the outcome as a "Miracle on the Mississippi," the mayor said 32 passengers from the American Cruise Lines steamship, American Heritage, were taken to hospital, but "no one suffered life-threatening injuries."

Moreno said there were approximately 180 to 190 passengers and crew members on board the American Heritage at the time of the accident. The cruise ship has a capacity of 150 passengers and was built in 2015, according to the American Cruise Lines website.

Tanker 'lost control'

The accident occurred around noon local time on Friday when the tanker Atlantic Asphalt "lost control and collided" with a moored cruise ship, Moreno said.

As passengers fled, the cruise ship began to sink and eventually "capped over," throwing people into the river, the mayor added.

Port Police Chief Melanie Montroll said about 87 passengers on the American Heritage disembarked before the ship capsized, the New Orleans Advocate and Times-Picayune joint news website reported.

Moreno emphasized the quick response of local, state and federal authorities and witnesses from other ships, which prevented fatalities.

Oil tanker failure caused an accident?

The US Coast Guard said in a statement that following the collision, river traffic was closed in the area of ​​the accident. Capt. Melanie Burnham of the Coast Guard told the New Orleans Advocate that the tanker appeared to have suffered a steering failure, but the cause of the incident is still under investigation.

American Cruise Lines said in a statement that it is cooperating with the Coast Guard and local authorities. "Guests and crew have been evacuated and we are deeply concerned about the fate of all those involved," the company said.