Freighter hits Mississippi cruise boat in New Orleans, no deaths reported

A freighter named Atlantic Asphalt collided on Friday with the passenger cruise boat The American Heritage on the Mississippi River in the port area of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. Authorities said at least 180 passengers and crew were rescued. More than 30 people were taken to hospital, but no deaths have been reported.

The incident matters because it was initially unclear whether anyone had died and how many people were injured or missing. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno called it "a miracle on the Mississippi" and said none of the hospitalized people had critical injuries.

What happened

Footage showed the paddlewheel cruise boat capsizing after the impact with the much larger cargo vessel. Rescue teams rushed to pull people wearing life jackets out of the water. According to the source, the cruise boat was docked when it was hit.

Local witness Devon Flanagan told the news agency AP that it was chaos. He said other vessels, including barges, came to help, which was somewhat confusing because people were still in the water.

The vessel and its passengers

AP reported that The American Heritage was built in 2015, has five stories and can carry up to 150 passengers. It was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi. The operator, American Cruise Lines, said guests and crew had been evacuated and that it was deeply concerned for everyone involved.

Official response

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote on X that he was heading to New Orleans and that the state was in close contact with local officials and law enforcement. US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on social media that every available asset was being used to help rescue missing passengers, and that his department was coordinating closely with state officials.