Tanker Collides with Cruise Vessel on Mississippi River

UPDATE - follow-up to Tanker hits a river cruise boat on Mississippi River in New Orleans; rescue operations under way: Emergency teams are actively rescuing passengers after the large Atlantic Asphalt tanker crashed into the American Heritage river cruise paddleboat in New Orleans on Friday, November 13, 2026.

Incident Details

The collision caused the paddleboat to partially submerge in the Mississippi River, carrying 129 passengers at the time of the impact. Officials have not yet shared any details regarding injuries or fatalities. Footage from the location shows the much larger tanker striking the cruise ship while it seemed to be docked, accompanied by the sound of breaking metal and glass. Over a dozen passengers wearing lifejackets were pulled from the water, which measured nineteen degrees Celsius, onto nearby vessels. Additional passengers stood near the railings as the crippled ship tilted deeper into the river.

Vessel Information

Witness Jamie Holford described the event as surreal, noting it took just fifteen minutes from the initial crash to the vessel rolling over. Built in 2015 and operated by American Cruise Lines, the five-story cruise ship has a capacity of up to 150 passengers. The vessel was finishing an eight-day trip across various Mississippi River stops in Louisiana and Mississippi. The striking vessel, a 160-metre-long ship sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands, is designed to transport asphalt and bitumen for road and roof work. These transport ships typically maintain cargo temperatures well above 120 degrees Celsius to stop the material from hardening, though it remains unconfirmed if the ship was carrying any cargo during the collision.

Context

Collisions on major commercial waterways like the Mississippi River often involve large industrial vessels navigating busy ports and docking areas alongside passenger traffic. Emergency response teams routinely deploy specialized marine units to handle river rescues and stabilize damaged vessels in port cities.