Tanker Capsizes Riverboat in New Orleans, Shutting Mississippi Traffic

A bitumen tanker struck a docked passenger riverboat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, tipping the vessel onto its side and triggering a multiagency rescue operation that closed a stretch of the river to all vessel traffic.

The 25-foot tanker Atlantic Asphalt hit American Cruise Lines' paddlewheel riverboat American Heritage at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time near 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, according to port officials. About 129 passengers, plus crew, were aboard the riverboat, which had docked roughly two hours earlier to begin disembarkation, local media reported.

Video obtained by New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU showed the larger tanker striking the stationary riverboat, knocking it onto its side and partially submerging it. Footage showed people wearing life jackets in the water near the collision site. CBS News reported at least 14 people were rescued from the water.

What did authorities say?

"Multiple individuals have been rescued, and search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing," a New Orleans city spokesperson said. Authorities had not confirmed the number of injuries or the cause of the collision in initial reports.

American Cruise Lines said its passengers and crew had been evacuated and that it was working with emergency authorities. "We are in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities," the company said. "Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved." It was not immediately clear whether everyone aboard had been accounted for, NBC News reported.

The Port of New Orleans struck a similar tone. "Our immediate priority is the safety of all passengers, crew members and first responders," the port said in a statement. "This remains an active and evolving incident."

Who responded, and what closed?

Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans fire and police departments, the Coast Guard and emergency medical personnel all responded to the scene. Officials set up a triage area inside the Port of New Orleans Administration Building.

The Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 while responders assessed the situation and conducted emergency operations. That three-mile closure sits on one of the busiest stretches of the river, and the halt blocked vessel movements through the heart of the Port of New Orleans while the rescue ran.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who has been serving as a special envoy to Greenland, said he was heading to New Orleans and was in contact with local officials and law enforcement.

What do we know about the tanker?

The 2017-built Atlantic Asphalt is owned by Nave Shipping SA of Liberia and registered in the Marshall Islands. The vessel carries bitumen, a heavy petroleum product used in road paving.

No cause has been established. Authorities gave no timeline for reopening the closed river segment, and no injury count had been confirmed as of the initial reports.

The collision created an immediate threat to passengers and crew aboard a docked vessel while halting vessel movements along a critical Mississippi River corridor. With the Coast Guard investigation and cleanup ahead, shippers and operators moving cargo through New Orleans should expect continued disruption until the agency clears the channel and reopens traffic between miles 93 and 96.