A terrifying event has taken place along the Mississippi River in New Orleans today after a commercial tanker collided with a docked American Cruise Lines riverboat. The 5-passenger deck vessel can be seen in one video rolled onto its side, more than halfway submerged in the water.
According to news reports, the incident happened around 12:30 PM local time near the Crescent City Connection when the tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck American Heritage while the vessel was still tied up at the dock.
American Heritage had arrived at 1350 Port of New Orleans Place roughly two hours earlier to begin passenger disembarkation. At the time of the crash, around 129 passengers and crew members were still on board the riverboat.
News reports have stated that at least a dozen passengers have been taken to local hospitals and not everyone has yet been accounted for.
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
Dramatic video shared from Jack Bearrood shows American Heritage rolled over sharply onto its side against the seawall with its lower decks completely underwater, while the bow of the dark green Atlantic Asphalt sits just off the stern.
Bearood also added that “the boat was ripped from moorings and began sinking. 23 people left in water search and rescue parties and USCG on site.”
Eyewitnesses on the scene also reported that rescue boats rushed in to pull people from the water immediately following the impact.
Video of the scene can be seen below:
After the vessel was struck it quickly began to roll over. Initial reports state that it took about 15-minutes from the time of the collision for the riverboat to end up completely on its side. The rotation of the vessel can be seen in another video:
Rescues are underway in New Orleans after a tanker struck a cruise ship on the Mississippi River Friday evening.
📷: Kern Studios https://t.co/ZPspGtM0Yr https://t.co/30fn83oHVS
— wdsu (@wdsu) November 13, 2026
Footage of the horrific scene shows some passengers on board with life jackets as the vessel begins to roll over onto its side.
⚠️ OFFICIAL UPDATE: New Orleans Mayor confirms multiple individuals have been rescued following the collision between a cargo ship and a riverboat cruise ship near the Port of New Orleans.
Search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing as public safety agencies coordinate response efforts.
Ship Crash – Mississippi River – American Heritage – Atlantic Asphalt – Port NOLA
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) November 13, 2026
A massive multi-agency emergency response was immediately sent into action, with the U.S. Coast Guard, Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department, and EMS all on site. Passengers were moved inside the Port of New Orleans Administration Building for assistance.
Video shared by the NBC news outlet in New Orleans showed multiple people in the water as passengers were rescued:
Multiple people rescued after tanker collides with cruise ship on the Mississippi River.
Credit: Devon Flanagan
https://t.co/ZPspGtLt8T https://t.co/O20q9JPuFe— wdsu (@wdsu) November 13, 2026
In a statement released shortly after the collision, Port NOLA confirmed that the situation remains active:
“Our immediate priority is the safety of all passengers, crew members and first responders. This remains an active and evolving incident. The number of injuries and the cause of the allision have not yet been confirmed. Additional updates will be provided as information is confirmed.”
Officials have not yet released details on the exact number of injuries or what caused the tanker to lose control and strike the moored riverboat.
American Heritage is a 150-passenger paddlewheeler that sails 7-night Lower Mississippi River cruises out of New Orleans. The ship was built in 2015 and features three distinct guest lounges, a fitness center, and a glass-enclosed restaurant.
This is a developing story, and we will update this article as soon as more information becomes available from the U.S. Coast Guard and Port NOLA.
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