Tanker Strikes Docked River Cruiser in New Orleans, Prompting Rescue Effort
An Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with the American Heritage river cruiser, carrying about 129 passengers, on the Mississippi in New Orleans on Friday. Multiple people were rescued as search efforts continued and responders worked the scene.
A tanker slammed into a docked river cruiser on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, setting off a rescue operation involving about 129 passengers and crew aboard the vessel. Multiple people have been pulled from the water, and search-and-rescue work was still ongoing as officials assessed the scene.
The vessel struck was the American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines. The tanker involved is the Atlantic Asphalt. The collision was reported around 12:30 p.m. near the Port of New Orleans Administration Building. The cruiser had pulled in about two hours earlier to let passengers disembark, which meant it was tied up when the impact occurred.
Emergency crews from the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department, the Port Harbor Police, the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency medical services responded to the scene. Passengers were taken to the Port of New Orleans Administration Building, where they were being triaged. Port officials had not confirmed how many people were injured, and the cause of the collision remains under investigation.
Early reports disagreed on whether the cruiser had capsized. That detail has not been verified. Gov. Jeff Landry was traveling to New Orleans to oversee the response, while Rep. Troy Carter said he was monitoring the situation and praised the emergency crews working on it. NOLA Ready urged the public to stay away from the area while operations continue.
Conditions at the scene were relatively calm. Skies were clear, temperatures were in the upper 60s, and north winds were blowing at 8 to 12 miles per hour. The water temperature was near 66 degrees Fahrenheit, a factor responders have to weigh when people are in the river. The story is still developing, and further details on injuries, the rescue count and the cause of the crash are expected as officials release them.
Source: foxnews.com
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