Mississippi River cruise ship struck by tanker in New Orleans
· Axios
More than 129 people were onboard a Mississippi River cruise ship Friday when the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with it, according to a press release from the Port of New Orleans.
The big picture: Search-and-rescue operations were ongoing Friday afternoon, but no reports of injuries were immediately available.
Visit saltysenoritaaz.com for more information.
Driving the news: The American Heritage, a vessel operated by American Cruise Lines, had docked for passengers to disembark at the port about two hours before it was hit, the press release says.
- At the time of the collision, about 129 passengers plus crew were on board.
- A city spokesman confirmed to Axios that the riverboat had rolled onto its side in the water, which social media videos appear to corroborate.
Zoom in: The tanker was immobilized on the river Friday at about 2pm CT, with two tugs positioned on either side.
- Another dozen vessels were in the water nearby as a helicopter roamed overhead and sirens rang out over the water.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X that he was aware of the incident and en route to New Orleans.
Editor's note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated.