Tanker strikes docked cruise ship on Mississippi River in New Orleans
A tanker hit the docked cruise ship American Heritage near New Orleans on Friday, and the vessel capsized within minutes. About 100 people were pulled from the river, and all 191 people aboard survived as salvage crews prepare for a lengthy operation.
A tanker struck the docked cruise ship American Heritage near the Port of New Orleans on Friday, and the passenger vessel capsized within an estimated 30 to 45 minutes of the collision. All 191 people aboard survived, and about 100 of them were pulled from the Mississippi River, officials said.
The collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time. The tanker involved is the Atlantic Asphalt. More than 80 people were evacuated from the cruise ship before it went over. Eight people were taken to hospitals, two of them in serious condition and six in stable condition. The captain of the cruise ship was injured and was the last to leave the vessel; he initially refused treatment. Officials credited the life jackets worn by passengers and the quick response of nearby vessels with preventing deaths.
The cause of the collision is still unknown. Investigators are examining a possible steering issue, and officials said there is no indication the incident was an act of terrorism. The National Transportation Safety Board was scheduled to arrive Saturday after travel delays, and the agency's investigators will take over the inquiry into how the two vessels came together. The tanker has since been moved from the collision site, and a federal warrant currently gives officials control of the vessel while the matter proceeds. The Port of New Orleans has filed a lawsuit seeking control of the tanker, and damage from the incident is estimated at a minimum of $1 million.
Salvage work is expected to take weeks. Crews must first remove about 16,000 gallons of fuel from the wreck before recovery can proceed, a step that is central to limiting the risk to the river. Divers are assessing the sunken ship, and pollution teams are monitoring the water. So far, no product requiring removal has been observed. A 500-foot safety zone remains in place around the wreck, and the river has partially reopened to two-way traffic, allowing commercial vessels to resume movement past the site in a limited capacity.
The incident has also raised questions about how quickly the response unfolded. The short window between impact and capsizing left little time for evacuation, which is why the more than 80 people who got off the ship before it went over are regarded as central to the outcome. Officials have pointed to the combination of passenger preparedness and the proximity of other boats in the area as key factors in the rescue effort.
American Cruise Lines, the operator of the American Heritage, is coordinating assistance for the displaced passengers and crew. The company's response will focus on helping those who lost their belongings and on arranging next steps for travelers whose voyage was interrupted. Further details on the investigation, the salvage timeline and the condition of the injured are expected as the NTSB and local authorities continue their work.
Source: foxnews.com
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