Tanker collides with cruise boat in New Orleans
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Al Jazeera
A tanker collided with the American Heritage cruise boat on the Mississippi in New Orleans while 129 passengers were on board, causing it to become partially submerged. Several people were rescued and search operations were continuing on Friday, according to port and municipal authorities.
The tanker Atlantic Asphalt collided with the American Heritage cruise boat at around 12:30 local time on Friday on the Mississippi in New Orleans, while 129 passengers were on board, according to the Port of New Orleans. The cruise boat was partially submerged and several people were rescued, while search and rescue operations continued.
The American Heritage had docked about two hours before the collision to begin disembarking its passengers, according to port authorities. The vessel, operated by American Cruise Lines, can accommodate up to 150 passengers and was on an eight-day cruise in Louisiana and Mississippi. The company said the passengers and crew had been evacuated.
Port police, firefighters, the Coast Guard and emergency medical services were deployed at the scene, with a triage area set up in the port’s administrative building. River traffic was halted, according to local authorities. People wearing life jackets were transferred to nearby vessels as the American Heritage listed further.
The Atlantic Asphalt is 160 metres long and flies the flag of the Marshall Islands. The tanker, which specialises in transporting asphalt and bitumen, was heading towards New Orleans, according to MarineTraffic and specialist publication Marine Insights.
