An asphalt tanker lost control on Friday and struck a docked paddlewheel cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, sending 32 people to the hospital.
The collision happened around 12:30 local time. The 160-meter tanker Atlantic Asphalt, flagged out of the Marshall Islands, slammed directly into the side of the 90-meter American Heritage, according to coverage by Vietnam.vn. The American Heritage was built in 2015, while the Atlantic Asphalt was built in 2017.
The impact caused the passenger vessel to take on water, list to one side, and eventually turn over in the middle of the river. CNN Indonesia reported that the ship was completing an eight-day voyage when the crash occurred.
WATCH: New video shows moment the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collides with American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage while the cruise ship is docked on the Mississippi River. pic.twitter.com/SS2mCQGCY5
“Kehilangan kendali dan menabrak kapal pesiar,” ungkap wali kota New Orleans dilansir BBC, Sabtu (14/11/2026), as reported by detikNews.
First responders, tugboat operators, and police rushed to the scene as passengers fell into the water. Authorities confirmed that all individuals aboard the vessel have been accounted for and rescued, and no passengers or crew members were reported missing.
About 129 passengers and an undisclosed number of crew members were on the ship during the accident, according to Akurat.co. Meanwhile, CNN Indonesia placed the total count of passengers and crew between 180 and 190, noting that the vessel has a capacity of 150 passengers.
“Kami mengerahkan semua sumber daya yang tersedia untuk membantu penyelamatan para penumpang ini,” said Markwayne Mullin, United States Secretary of Homeland Security.
“Ini benar-benar sebuah keajaiban di Sungai Mississippi. Bayangkan jumlah orang di kapal pesiar itu dan kenyataan bahwa kami berhasil mengevakuasi mereka semua dari kapal, mengeluarkan mereka dari air,” said Jeff Landry, Governor of Louisiana, according to Vietnam.vn.
Thirty-two people sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment. Officials said that none of the injuries appeared critical or life-threatening.
The United States Coast Guard temporarily shut down vessel traffic on the Mississippi River following the collision. Authorities opened an active inquiry to determine the exact sequence of events.
“Penyebab pasti kecelakaan masih diselidiki. Namun, dugaan awal mengarah pada gangguan sistem kemudi kapal pesiar,” said Captain Melanie Burnham, United States Coast Guard Captain, as reported by Akurat – Akurat.co.
The operator of the passenger vessel, American Cruise Lines, said that it is coordinating closely with local and federal authorities to assess the damage. “Para tamu dan kru telah dievakuasi, dan kami sangat mengkhawatirkan semua pihak yang terlibat,” said American Cruise Lines.
A total of 32 individuals were transported to local hospitals for medical treatment, though none suffered life-threatening injuries.
The Coast Guard temporarily closed the waterway near New Orleans immediately following the incident to facilitate rescue operations and preliminary investigations.
The Coast Guard said that all river traffic in the immediate vicinity of the collision zone remained suspended while response teams secured the area.
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