"Miracle on the Mississippi": no death after a tanker collision with a cruise ship

On Friday 13 November, at approximately 12:30 local time, a tanker struck a river cruise ship docked on Mississippi in New Orleans, Louisiana [S1][S16][S19][S23]. The blade boat lay on the flank, triggering a vast rescue operation [S12][S13][S18]. At the end of the day, the mayor of the city, Helena Moreno, announced that all passengers and crew members were located and that none of the hospitalized were in critical condition [S24]. According to Deutsche Welle and Sky News, at least 180 people have been rescued and no deaths have occurred [S10][S11].

What we know about the collision

The affected vessel is the American Heritage, a vessel operated by American Cruise Lines [S13][S16][S3]. The first French-language dispatches spoke of a container carrier [S4][S5][S6][S8][S20][S22], others from an oil tanker or tanker [S2][S7][S17], but the port authorities, quoted by the local media, designate an oil tanker, the Atlantic Asphalt [S23][S24]. The larger Atlantic Asphalt oil tanker hit him as he appeared to be moored in a metal and glass crash, according to the on-site footage [S14][S15][S19] ; According to 20 minutes, he hit the boat full whip on the side [S7]. According to the Port of New Orleans, the American Heritage had been docked for about two hours and the landing of passengers had begun [S23]. According to the AP agency, quoted by Deutsche Welle, this five-storey boat completed an eight-day cruise on the Mississippi [S18] ; the local newspaper nola.com describes a tanker of about 150 meters in front of a ship of about 90 meters, built in 2015 and planned for 150 passengers, and rather evokes a cruise that was to begin the same day: the sources diverge on this point [S24]. The PA, taken over by NDTV, gives the tanker a length of 160 meters and specifies that it was sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands [S16].

Selon la maire, le débarquement a commencé après la collision, mais le bateau a pris l'eau, puis s'est retourné [S24]. La cheffe de la police portuaire, Melanie Montroll, a précisé qu'environ 87 passagers avaient pu débarquer avant le chavirage, les autres se retrouvant à l'eau [S24]. The videos show people in the river with lifejackets, others clinging to the basting on the still emerging side [S18][S12][S19]. "It was chaos," said a witness, Devon Flanagan, quoted by the AP agency, describing barges and other boats who came to assist while people were still in the water [S18]. "It looked like a war movie. Imagine tons of steel crashing," said another witness, Jamie Holford, to CBS, an American partner of the BBC, describing passengers and crew members who cried and cried trying to leave the boat [S9].

How many people on board, how many injured

The figures have changed over the afternoon. The port and several media spoke of approximately 129 passengers, not counting the crew [S16][S19][S23] ; Deutsche Welle evoked some 130 people [S18]. La maire a ensuite avancé un total de 180 à 190 personnes à bord, passagers et équipage compris, un chiffre repris par CNews et la RTS [S6][S3][S24]. Vice-Governor Billy Nungesser had first indicated that twelve people had been discharged from the water [S2][S21][S22]. For several hours, the authorities did not take stock [S16][S15][S8].

" We no longer have any missing people, which is really a miracle on the Mississippi," said the mayor at a press conference, according to the PA taken over by NDTV, which also evokes 180 people on board [S16]. According to nola.com, the mayor said that 32 people were being treated in the hospital, including two port police officers who entered the water to rescue passengers, and that none had any critical injuries; she called the outcome of the "Miracle on the Mississippi" [S24]. BBC reports 32 hospitalized without critical injury [S9]. Le Dauphiné libéré précise que ces passagers n'ont été hospitalisés que brièvement [S5]. Deutsche Welle also evokes more than 30 inpatients [S18]. Dozens of people, including at least two policemen, were fired from water at about 19 °C; the free persons were grouped in an auditorium where the company made a roll call [S16].

A large-scale relief operation

Port police, firefighters and New Orleans police, U.S. Coast Guard and medical assistance intervened [S23]. Lieutenant Stephanie C. Norwood, from the city's emergency medical services, indicated that all agencies were involved in relief efforts [S16]. Firefighters hired 23 units and 57 people, laying ladders along the wharf to get people out of the water, while passing ships also participated in rescues [S24]. Passengers were taken to the port's administrative building for care [S23].

Coast Guard closed the river to navigation between 93 and 96, and ferry service was suspended as a precaution [S24]. Les garde-côtes doivent aussi déterminer comment renflouer l'épave et dégager le chenal ; la capitaine Burnham veut rouvrir le fleuve « le plus vite possible » pour que le trafic commercial reprenne [S24]. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser noted that this type of cruise attracts many elderly people; the company asked him to find hotel rooms for 85 passengers, who lost their personal effects, medicines included [S24]. According to the mayor, many have lost their identity papers or even their car keys, and most of them came from elsewhere: they need to charge a phone, feed themselves, shelter and warn their loved ones [S16].

Reactions

American Cruise Lines confirmed that its vessel had been struck at dock, claiming that passengers and crew had been evacuated and that it was coordinating with the Coast Guard and local authorities [S18][S24]. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry went there after writing about X being in close contact with local authorities [S18][S24]. Homeland Security Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, said his department hired "all means" to rescue passengers [S18]. President Donald Trump hailed on Truth Social the "unbelievable work" of the first responders, and Jeff Landry promised to investigate what happened [S9]. Louisiana MP Julia Letlow said pray for successful relief [S21][S22].

What remains to be established

The cause of the collision is not confirmed. Captain Melanie Burnham, Coast Guard, referred to an apparent loss of direction of the tanker: "There seems to have been some form of loss of control," she said, while noting that the investigation is ongoing [S9][S24]. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is to investigate, but its members were initially unable to visit the site due to the shutdown of all flights in the United States on the same day [S16]. L'agence a depuis ouvert une enquête officielle sur la collision entre le navire-citerne Atlantic Asphalt et le bateau à passagers American Heritage, et annoncé l'envoi d'une équipe d'intervention sur place [S25]. According to the MarineTraffic site, quoted by the PA, the tanker is owned by a subsidiary of the Chinese public conglomerate China State Shipbuilding Corporation [S16]. Martin Davies, a specialist in maritime law at Tulane University, judges too early to conclude, but believes that the videos suggest a serious failure on board: the tanker slowly climbed the river, with a local pilot on board, and had already crossed the delicate turn of Algiers Point [S16]. The responsibilities of the shipowner, crew, pilot and port device therefore remain to be determined by the investigation. Nola.com recalls that in December 1996, a bulk carrier that lost its propulsion had already struck a dock in the same area, causing injuries but no deaths [S24].