Tanker Collision Sinks New Orleans Paddle Wheeler, 32 Hospitalised
A tanker ship collided with a docked luxury paddle wheeler on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on November 13, 2026, capsizing the vessel and hospitalising 32 passengers. Emergency personnel, harbor teams, and bystanders pulled victims from the river after the vessel rolled over, while commercial vessel operators and river transport services faced immediate maritime halts in the area.
Steering Failure Suspected as Tanker Strikes Docked Cruise Vessel
The collision occurred around midday when the tanker ship, the *Atlantic Asphalt*, lost control and struck the docked *American Heritage*, a paddle wheeler operated by American Cruise Lines. US Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham stated that the tanker appeared to have suffered a steering failure, though the exact cause of the crash remains under official investigation. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed that all 180 to 190 passengers and crew members aboard the vessel were accounted for following the response, with no critical injuries reported among the 32 hospitalised victims. Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll reported that approximately 87 passengers disembarked before the cruise ship fully capsized into the river.
The US Coast Guard closed all river traffic in the immediate vicinity of the collision site following the incident.
