New Orleans port officials sue owner of tanker that hit cruise ship

Just hours after a tanker lost its steering and crashed into a docked cruise ship, the city's port in New Orleans filed a lawsuit to ensure federal investigators can seize the vessel. The American Heritage cruise ship, carrying 197 passengers and crew, and the crew of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker, survived the incident without critical injuries.

However, 32 people, including two police officers, were hospitalized. The lawsuit, filed by the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, claimed the tanker caused at least $1 million in damage to the terminal.

A judge issued a warrant giving federal officials control of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker, which had been towed away from the scene. The tanker, owned by a subsidiary of the Chinese company China State Shipbuilding Corporation, specializes in carrying asphalt and bitumen. Federal officials are now investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred as the tanker lost its steering and slammed into the docked cruise ship.

The first indication of the impending crash was the tanker's horn repeatedly blasting as it floated towards the cruise ship. The ship immediately started leaning and then rolled, sending passengers and crew into the Mississippi River. Tugboat operators, other cruise ship captains, nearby workers, police, and other rescuers quickly rushed to help.

The crew on the cruise ship gathered passengers on the third deck to put on life vests and evacuate the ship, but the vessel suddenly rolled, sending passengers into the water. New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said that putting on life vests as passengers waited to get off the boat likely saved many lives. Meanwhile, Coast Guard Capt.

Melanie Burnham said that while boats were limited on the Mississippi River, they should be able to move both upstream and downstream soon. The first step is to safely remove the 16,000 gallons of fuel from the tanker.