32 injured after asphalt tanker strikes river cruise ship in New Orleans

An asphalt tanker believed to have lost steering control struck a river cruise ship moored at the Port of New Orleans, causing the vessel to overturn onto its side. Authorities said everyone aboard was rescued and 32 people were taken to hospital.

Hilal Times Editorial DeskNovember 14, 2026, 10:25 AMUpdated: November 14, 2026, 10:59 AM

32 injured after asphalt tanker strikes river cruise ship in New Orleans

An asphalt tanker, the "Atlantic Asphalt," collided Friday with the "American Heritage" river cruise ship, which was moored at the port on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana. The ship was carrying 180 people, according to the city's mayor, Helena Moreno.

The ship began listing within minutes of the collision before overturning onto its side, sending several passengers and crew members into the river. Moreno confirmed that no one was missing and described the incident as a "miracle on the Mississippi." Thirty-two people were taken to hospital, none of them in critical condition.

The footage shows the moment the large tanker approached and struck the moored vessel as people on the pier looked on in shock.

Loss of steering control

U.S. Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham said the tanker appeared to have suffered a steering malfunction, adding that the exact cause of the accident was not yet known. Tugboat crews, dockworkers and police took part in the rescue operations, pulling dozens of people from the water onto nearby boats.

Aerial view of the overturned ship at the Port of New Orleans

The National Transportation Safety Board plans to investigate the accident, but its team was initially unable to arrive by air because flights were suspended across the United States that day. The five-deck ship was built in 2015 and was completing an eight-day river cruise.

Photos: AP, Video: X