The Port of New Orleans has filed a federal lawsuit against a tanker, its owner and its management company after the vessel struck a docked cruise ship on Friday afternoon. The port alleges that the tanker was responsible for the collision, which caused more than $1m in damage and left passengers needing rescue from the Mississippi River.
The paddlewheel cruise ship American Heritage tipped onto its side and was partly submerged after being hit by the Atlantic Asphalt. More than 100 passengers were rescued from the river. Authorities said 32 people from the riverboat were taken to hospital with non-critical injuries, and everyone was accounted for. Officials described the outcome as a "miracle on the Mississippi".
Investigators have not yet established the precise cause of the crash. US Coast Guard Capt Melanie Burnham said: "There seems to be some type of a loss of steering." Officials are also continuing to assess the extent of the damage. According to the court filing, the collision caused significant damage to the port terminal.
Filed on Friday in the federal court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the lawsuit names the M/V Atlantic Asphalt, owner Nave Shipping SA and management company Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd. The port is seeking compensation for cleanup work, inspections, repairs and other expenses arising from the incident.
The filing asks for the tanker to be seized and sold to cover the damage. It alleges negligence, gross negligence, fault or carelessness by the vessel and its operating companies. The port also claims they did not use all available means to avoid the risk of a collision with the riverboat.
Nave Shipping is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation, which the BBC contacted for comment. Thome Ship Management was also approached. In a statement issued on Saturday, the company said all Atlantic Asphalt crew members were safe and accounted for. It said OSM Thome was cooperating fully with local authorities conducting the investigations.
About 129 passengers were aboard the American Heritage, along with crew members, when the collision occurred, according to the port authority. Tugboat operators joined police and other rescuers in responding to the emergency. Officials halted traffic on the Mississippi River while the rescue operation was under way.
The American Heritage was nearing the end of an eight-day cruise when it was struck. Its itinerary had included stops at destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi along the river.
