Tanker collides with cruise ship in New Orleans river

Emergency rescue operations begin

The collision occurred at approximately 12.30pm according to Port of New Orleans press secretary Kimberly Curth. The American Heritage had docked about two hours earlier to allow passengers to disembark before the impact. Images from social media showed the vessel lying on its side with furniture scattered around the deck. Crew members in lifejackets and people holding flotation rings were pulled from the water by a tug boat. New Orleans firefighters, city police, port authorities, and US Coast Guard personnel conducted rescue efforts at the scene. The river was closed to all traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 to assist responders.

Possible power loss before crash

An emergency response source suggested the tanker might have lost power immediately before striking the cruise ship. Officials confirmed the American Heritage carried 129 passengers plus crew members when it was hit by the larger vessel. The partial submersion of the boat is visible in footage from local news affiliate WDSU. People who escaped the water were brought inside the port administration building for safety. Authorities have not yet released information regarding specific injuries or deaths among those on board.

Updates expected at 3pm

Officials stated they would hold a news conference at 3pm ET to provide further updates on the situation. The US Coast Guard issued a statement explaining the closure of the river section for response operations. Local NBC News affiliate WDSU broadcast video showing the ongoing recovery work near the crash site. Kimberly Curth released a statement detailing the sequence of events leading up to the Friday afternoon incident.