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Tanker strikes river cruise boat in New Orleans
Zero fatalities reported; all passengers of cruise boat accounted for; more than 30 people in hospital, mayor says
| Updated:
Emergency personnel and crews are on the scene after a tanker crashed into a river cruise in New Orleans on Nov. 13. (Enan Chediak/The Advocate via Associated Press)
Key Takeaways:
- A tanker struck and partially submerged the American Heritage in New Orleans on Nov. 13, but all 129 passengers were accounted for.
- More than 30 people were hospitalized, though CNN reported none suffered critical injuries.
- American Cruise Lines said it was working with the Coast Guard and would release more information when available.
NEW ORLEANS — All passengers have been accounted for and more than 30 people hospitalized after a tanker "lost control" and hit the American Heritage river cruise paddleboat in New Orleans on the afternoon of Nov. 13 around 12:30 p.m. with 129 passengers aboard, partially submerging the boat.
Authorities did not immediately release whether there were injuries or deaths.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno held a late afternoon news conference saying the tanker "lost control" but that every cruise passenger was accounted for. CNN says none of the people hospitalized suffered critical injuries.
Video from the scene showed the much larger Atlantic Asphalt tanker hit the paddlewheel cruise boat while it appeared to be docked as metal and glass crashed and crunched.
RELATED: Cargo ship strikes bridge between New Jersey, Philadelphia
More than a dozen people in life jackets were being dragged from the 66-degree Fahrenheit river onto nearby ships. Others were standing near the railing as the other side of the American Heritage listed further into the water.
Devon Flanagan was at his job nearby at the Port of New Orleans when workers began rushing down the dock. He got out of his truck and noticed the American Heritage on its side and passengers in the water.
“It was just chaos,” he said. “You had all types of ships, like other barges and other companies down there trying to help out, which also was a little convoluted because you had people still in the water.”
Dozens of people have been taken to a local hospital after a tanker collided with a cruise ship on the Mississippi River. Stay with WDSU for the latest. https://t.co/ZPspGtLt8T https://t.co/VaKNuai8nW
— wdsu (@wdsu) November 13, 2026
The Times-Picayune | Advocate obtained this video of passengers swimming to safety after the collision Friday between a tanker and a cruise ship on the New Orleans riverfront. Follow live updates here: https://t.co/cA93KCVEUI https://t.co/FDxtTQy58D
— NOLA.com (@NOLAnews) November 13, 2026
Watch the moment a tanker struck a cruise ship in New Orleans. Rescues are underway. 📷: Kern Studios https://t.co/ZPspGtM0Yr https://t.co/O1qGr8kImf
— wdsu (@wdsu) November 13, 2026
The cruise ship was built in 2015 and operated by American Cruise Lines. It is five stories and can hold up to 150 passengers.
The American Heritage was finishing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.
The cruise line said it was working with the Coast Guard and would share more information when it can.
The tanker involved in the crash specializes in carrying large quantities of asphalt and bitumen, a semi-solid substance that is often used for road construction and roofing, according to the live shipping tracker MarineTraffic. But it was not immediately clear whether the ship was carrying any materials when the crash occurred.
Ships carrying asphalt and bitumen are often heated well above 250 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the asphalt from solidifying on the ship, according to the maritime periodical Marine Insights.
The 520-foot long vessel had a final destination in New Orleans, according to MarineTraffic, and was sailing under a flag for the Marshall Islands.
