Tanker slams docked river cruise ship in New Orleans; all aboard survive as boat capsizes

NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 13) — A tanker that apparently lost its steering slammed into a docked river cruise boat on the Mississippi River on Friday, capsizing the boat and sending passengers into the water. Everyone aboard survived.

The Atlantic Asphalt struck the American Heritage, a paddlewheel boat operated by American Cruise Lines, at about 12:30 p.m. local time, CBS News reported, citing the Port of New Orleans. The cruise boat had docked about two hours earlier so passengers could disembark. Mayor Helena Moreno said about 180 people were aboard, the Associated Press reported.

Moreno said the tanker "lost control" and hit the cruise boat, which "began to sink, and then eventually toppled over and flipped" as passengers were getting off. Boats and emergency crews pulled people from the river, and some were seen in life jackets in the water as the boat listed.

Thirty-two people were taken to hospitals, none with critical injuries, officials said. That count included two New Orleans harbor police officers who were hurt trying to evacuate passengers and were in good condition, according to CBS News. No one aboard the tanker was injured.

"It is a literal miracle on the Mississippi," Gov. Jeff Landry told reporters, The Washington Post reported.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. A Coast Guard official said the tanker appeared to have had some type of loss of steering, and the river was closed to vessel traffic near the scene while responders worked, according to the AP and ABC News.