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'Miracle on Mississippi' - All rescued after docked cruise ship hit by tanker in New Orleans

BBC News •
November 13, 2026 • 11:40 PM
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The collision leaves 32 people in hospital with non-critical injuries, but no-one unaccounted for.

'Miracle on Mississippi' - All rescued after docked cruise ship hit by tanker in New Orleans

Some 130 people on a cruise ship docked in New Orleans have been rescued after it was struck by a tanker.

The cruise ship, American Heritage, was left lying on its side in the Mississippi River after it was hit by the cargo vessel, Atlantic Asphalt.

The collision left 32 people from the stricken riverboat in hospital with non-critical injuries, but no-one unaccounted for. Officials hailed it as a "miracle on the Mississippi".

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but US Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham said: "There seems to be some type of a loss of steering."

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told a news conference that all credit in the rescue effort went to first responders who "literally jumped right in to help".

"We have zero people unaccounted for which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi," Moreno said.

Calls about the collision came in around 13:30 EST (18:30 GMT) on Friday when people began trying to help passengers escape the boat as it took on water, Port of New Orleans Chief Melanie Montroll told a news conference.

There were about 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, on the American Heritage at the time of the collision, according to Port of New Orleans.

Passengers began disembarking from the paddlewheeler vessel, operated by American Cruise Lines, as it started listing before tipping on to its side, Mayor Moreno said.

Tugboat operators, police and other rescuers rushed to help and officials shut down the Mississippi River for the search effort.

The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to Mississippi River destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the rescue was an "incredible job".

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin said the US Coast Guard also supported local rescue operations.

Governor Jeff Landry also hailed the rescue as a "miracle on the Mississippi" given the "sheer number of people who were on that cruise ship" who were rescued.

Ships have operated safely on the Mississippi River for years, Landry said, pledging to investigate what happened.

Jamie Holford, a witness to the crash, told the BBC's US partner CBS that he saw the cruise ship hit the dock following the collision.

"It sounded like a war movie. Just imagine tons of steel crunching. That's what it sounded like," he said. "It looked like something off the Titanic."

Holford added that he saw passengers and crew members "hollering" and "crying" as they tried to get off the ship while it was sinking.

The American Heritage can carry up to 150 guests and features a glass-enclosed restaurant, fitness centre and three guest lounges, according to its website.

Built in 2015, the vessel has at least four decks.

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Same Story from Other Publications

Compare how 6 other independent news outlets reported on this story.

6 Publications
The Guardian
3h ago
Tanker collides with river cruise ship carrying more than 130 people in New Orleans – latest updates

Tanker collides with river cruise ship carrying more than 130 people in New Orleans – latest updates

Rescue efforts under way as ship takes on water; governor confirms incident in Mississippi River

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CNN International
3h ago
Live updates: Tanker crashes into docked cruise ship near Port of New Orleans | CNN

Live updates: Tanker crashes into docked cruise ship near Port of New Orleans | CNN

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 officials. Follow for the latest updates.

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The Age
3h ago
Cruise ship hit by tanker in New Orleans, passengers in water

Cruise ship hit by tanker in New Orleans, passengers in water

People were seen in the river in life jackets or standing near the railing as the other side of the ship listed further into the water.

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Al Jazeera English
1h ago
Rescue efforts under way after tanker strikes river cruise boat in US

Rescue efforts under way after tanker strikes river cruise boat in US

American Heritage paddleboat with 129 passengers on board is partially submerged on Mississippi River in New Orleans.

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ABC News Australia
2h ago
Breaking: Tanker and cruise ship collide in the US

Breaking: Tanker and cruise ship collide in the US

A tanker has collided with a river cruise boat docked near the port of New Orleans with more than 100 passengers onboard, leaving the pleasure vessel partially submerged.

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NPR News
1d ago
A political earthquake in Mississippi : Consider This from NPR

A political earthquake in Mississippi : Consider This from NPR

Senator-elect Scott Colom's win in Mississippi is a history-making political upset. He's not only the first Democrat to win a senate seat in the state since 1982 but he'll also be the state's first Black U.S. senator since the 1870s. This episode was produced by Jason Fuller and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. Our director is Jonas Adams. It was edited by Patrick Jarenwattananon and Adam Raney. Our executive producer is Courtney Dorning.Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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