Tanker hits river cruise boat in New Orleans, 32 hurt

A tanker slammed into the river cruise boat American Heritage at the Port of New Orleans on Friday afternoon, partially submerging the vessel, and 32 passengers were taken to hospital, officials said.

The Port of New Orleans said the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the paddlewheel boat while it was docked at about 12:30 p.m. local time. The port said about 150 people were aboard. Other outlets reported estimates closer to 200, and the figure has not been settled.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said the tanker “lost control” before the collision. She said the boat began to sink and then flipped over as passengers were getting off, sending people into the water.

All of those aboard have been accounted for, and the mayor called the outcome a “miracle on the Mississippi.” CBS News and other outlets reported that none of the injuries among those hospitalized was critical.

American Cruise Lines confirmed that its riverboat, American Heritage, was involved in a collision while docked in New Orleans. The company has not said what caused it.

It was not clear on Friday why the tanker lost control. The cause remains under investigation, and officials have not released further details on the tanker’s crew or its condition.

The crash drew heavy interest in Canada on Friday. “Cruise ship crash” and “New Orleans” were among the top rising searches in Google Trends Canada, with more than 10,000 searches in the past 24 hours. Canada News Media has not seen any report that Canadians were aboard, and will update this story if that changes.

Mississippi River cruises out of New Orleans are a popular draw for tourists, and the port is one of the busiest in the United States for river and ocean shipping. The riverboat was docked and unloading passengers when it was hit, officials said.

This is a developing story and details may change as investigators and local officials release more information.

Sources: Port of New Orleans, American Cruise Lines and reporting by CBS News, CNN, ABC News and WDSU.

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