File photo: New Orleans skyline from the Mississippi River, April 2015, not from the incident. Photo: MusikAnimal / Wikimedia Commons / Cropped and resized, adapted image CC BY-SA 4.0.
A tanker struck a docked river cruise boat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, prompting a large rescue response, according to official statements published Friday.
The Port of New Orleans said the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage at 12:30 p.m. Central time while the boat was docked outside 1350 Port of New Orleans Place. The Port said the American Heritage had docked about two hours earlier to begin passenger disembarkation. It said approximately 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, were aboard at the time.
The Port said Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency medical personnel were conducting rescue and response operations. It said passengers were being brought into its administration building for triage and assistance. Mayor Helena Moreno said multiple people had been rescued and search-and-rescue operations were continuing.
More than a dozen people had been taken to area hospitals, according to city officials cited in published reporting. American Cruise Lines said in a published statement that guests and crew were evacuated. It was not immediately clear whether everyone aboard had been accounted for.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the river was closed to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 while responders assess the situation. Published reports said the Regional Transit Authority temporarily suspended ferry service across the river as a precaution. The Port’s earlier statement said the number of injuries and the cause of the collision had not been confirmed.
JBizNews Desk | New Orleans
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