'Miracle on Mississippi' - All rescued after cruise ship hit by tanker in New Orleans
The collision leaves 32 people in hospital with non-critical injuries, but no-one unaccounted for.
A tanker collided with a docked passenger riverboat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, resulting in a rescue operation involving multiple agencies and a closure of river traffic. The 25-foot bitumen tanker, Atlantic Asphalt, struck the American Cruise Lines' paddlewheel riverboat, American Heritage, around 12:30 p.m. local time near 1350 Port of New Orleans Place.
The riverboat, which had docked to start disembarking passengers roughly two hours earlier, carried about 129 people who were in the process of leaving when they were hit by the tanker. Footage from WDSU showed the larger tanker tipping the stationary riverboat onto its side and partially submerging it, with people wearing life jackets in the water.
Multiple individuals were reported rescued, and search-and-rescue efforts continue. Authorities have not yet confirmed the number of injuries or the cause of the collision.
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- Tanker strikes cruise riverboat in New Orleans freightwaves.com