The New Orleans cruise ship shown overturned in accident images is the American Heritage, a riverboat of American Cruise Lines. It was docked when it was hit by the Atlantic Asphalt, a tanker, during the Friday November 13 midday.
The emergency forced the rescue of people from the water and mobilized local and federal services. The subsequent tally collected by ABC News places the number of hospitalized at 32: 30 passengers and two agents. All occupants were located.
The end of the search makes it possible to distinguish two moments of the incident: the first hours, with rescues underway and uncertainty about the passengers, and the later phase, focused on the injured and on clarifying the circumstances of the collision.
Which ships collided and where it happened
The accident occurred on the Mississippi River, near the port of New Orleans, at approximately 12:30 local time. The American Heritage was stopped at the dock; it was not a collision between two passenger ships navigating in opposite directions.
The port had initially reported about 129 passengers, in addition to the crew. That figure should not be confused with the total number of people on board or with the number of injured.
The other involved ship, Atlantic Asphalt, is the tanker that struck the cruise ship. Identifying both is relevant because their functions and their situation at the time of the accident were different.
Why were there people in the water
According to the account of Mayor Helena Moreno collected by ABC News, disembarkation began after the impact. During that evacuation, the cruise ship started sinking and ended up overturning, leaving some of its occupants in the river.
Rescue teams used different vessels to get them to safety. Agents and emergency services took part in the operation, along with people who helped from other ships.
The authorities later said that there were no people left unlocated. This tally replaces the first warnings, which still described an open search operation.
Consequences for Mississippi River traffic
The accident also affected navigation. The Coast Guard closed the stretch between the river mile marker points expressed in miles 93 and 96, according to information from the sector organization Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals.
The restriction was adopted to facilitate emergency operations. It does not equate to a closure of the entire Mississippi nor does it allow claiming that all the port’s terminals suspended their activity.
Without an official update confirming its duration, it also should not be taken for granted that that initial shutdown continues throughout the whole Saturday.
What is known about the cause of the accident
Authorities described a loss of control of the tanker vessel, but that initial explanation does not replace a technical investigation. Determining why it happened requires clarifying the maneuver, the operation of the equipment, and the communications prior to the impact.
CNN reported that the cause was still under investigation in the first hours. There is no basis in cross-checked sources to assign definitive responsibilities, establish compensation, or calculate the cost of the damage.
The latest balance sheet consulted includes 32 hospitalized people with no critical injuries reported. The evolution of the patients, navigation restrictions, and the results of the investigation are the next relevant updates.