• Rescue underway : Emergency responders rushed to the Port of New Orleans after a tanker collided with a river cruise with more than 130 people onboard, according to Port of New Orleans officials. The cause of the collision and the number of people injured are still under investigation.
• About the crash : The Atlantic Asphalt tanker crashed into the American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage at about 12:30 p.m. while the ship was docked on the Mississippi River, according to port officials.
• Evacuation: American Cruise Lines confirmed guests and crew were evacuated from the riverboat.
Videos provided by Barry Kern with Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World shows the moment a tanker crashed into a river cruise ship near the Port of New Orleans earlier this afternoon.
In the video, the tanker is seen heading toward the cruise ship. Moments later, you hear the sound of metal on metal as the vessels collide.
“We have a river boat taking on water steadily,” authorities said around the time the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with the American Cruise Lines vessel, according to audio released by New Orleans Fire and Emergency Services.
Another recording highlights a report of “a watercraft in distress” in the area of the crash.
Firefighters were on the scene assisting with water rescues, according to the recordings. Responders attempted to help get people out of the water and onto a tugboat.
Multiple people have been rescued and search and rescue operations are still ongoing, the city of New Orleans said in an update on social media . Emergency crews responded to the collision near the Port of New Orleans, the city said.
The National Transportation Safety Board is aware of the incident but has not yet announced if it will open an investigation, a spokesperson tells CNN.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he was aware of the incident and would be heading to New Orleans.
“We are aware of the incident on the Mississippi and we are in close contact with local officials and law enforcement,” he said in a post on X .
Two boats, the Atlantic Asphalt tanker and the American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage, were involved in the crash this afternoon, according to officials.
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker was headed up the Mississippi River, just passed the famous French Quarter, when it went under a bridge and collided with the tour boat parked at a cruise dock, according to the tracking site Marinetraffic.com . The ship is registered in the Marshall Islands and is 525 feet long and 77 feet wide, according to the site. CNN has reached out to tanker’s owner for comment on the incident.
American Cruise Lines said they are working with emergency responders to get passengers and crew evacuated. The American Heritage paddle-wheeler riverboat was built in 2015 and has a capacity of 150 guests, according to the operator .
American Cruise Lines confirmed guests and crew were evacuated from the riverboat, the American Heritage, and that they would share more information when they are able.
“American Cruise Lines can confirm that our riverboat, American Heritage, was involved in a collision while it was docked in New Orleans,” the company said in a statement to CNN. “We are in close coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard and local authorities. Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved.”
Video provided by Devon Flanagan shows people in the water being rescued after a river cruise ship was struck by a tanker in New Orleans on Friday.
Emergency responders rushed to the Port of New Orleans after a tanker collided with a river cruise with more than 130 people onboard Friday afternoon, according to Port of New Orleans officials.
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker crashed into the American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage at about 12:30 p.m. while the ship was docked on the Mississippi River, according to port officials.
The cause of the collision and the number of people injured are still under investigation. CNN has reached out to officials for more information.
