‘Miracle on Mississippi’ – All passengers rescued after New Orleans cruise ship collision

On Friday around 1:30 p.m. EST, a collision between the cruise ship American Heritage and a tanker resulted in the rescue of 130 people docked in New Orleans. The cargo vessel, Atlantic Asphalt, struck the American Heritage, leaving the cruise ship listing and ultimately tipping on its side in the Mississippi River. 32 passengers required medical attention for non-critical injuries, and none were missing or unaccounted for.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno and US Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham hailed the incident as a "miracle on the Mississippi," crediting the swift and heroic response of first responders. The American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines, was on an eight-day cruise with approximately 129 passengers and crew members when the accident occurred.

Tugboat operators, police, and other rescue personnel were among the first to arrive on the scene, and the Mississippi River was subsequently closed off for the ongoing rescue effort. Mayor Moreno announced that all passengers had been safely disembarked from the paddlewheeler vessel as it began to take on water and ultimately capsized.

President Donald Trump praised the rescue effort as "incredible" on social media platform Truth Social, while Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin praised the US Coast Guard's support. Governor Jeff Landry also hailed the rescue as a "miracle on the Mississippi" given the sheer number of people aboard who were saved. A witness, Jamie Holford, described hearing the collision as sounding like "a war movie" with the impact sounding like "tons of steel crunching," adding that passengers and crew members were seen "hollering and crying" as they tried to escape the sinking ship.