Freighter Strikes Docked River Cruise Boat in New Orleans, Hospitalizing More Than 30
More than 30 people were hospitalized but no deaths were reported after a freighter collided with a cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday.
Authorities said at least 180 passengers and crew members were rescued. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno called it “a miracle on the Mississippi,” adding that none of those hospitalized had critical injuries.
Footage showed the paddlewheel cruise boat, The American Heritage, capsizing after the impact with the much larger cargo vessel, while rescue teams rushed to pull people in life jackets from the water.
Witness Describes ‘Chaos’ at the Scene
The accident occurred near the Port of New Orleans when the freighter Atlantic Asphalt struck the cruise ship while it was docked.
“It was just chaos,” local witness Devon Flanagan told the Associated Press.
“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,” Flanagan said, describing the scene.
American Cruise Lines, which operates The American Heritage, said in a statement that “guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved.”
According to the AP, the cruise ship was built in 2015, is five stories tall and can carry up to 150 passengers. It was completing an eight-day cruise to several Mississippi River destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.
When news of the collision first broke, it was unclear whether there had been any fatalities and how many people were injured or missing.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he was on his way 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 wrote on X.
US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin wrote on social media that “we are throwing every asset we have to helping rescue missing passengers” and that his department was coordinating closely with state officials.
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