A major rescue operation is under way in New Orleans after a tanker collided with a river cruise boat carrying 129 passengers on the Mississippi River, leaving the vessel partially submerged.
The Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the American Heritage paddleboat on Friday at about 12:30pm local time (18:30 GMT), according to the Port of New Orleans. The cruise boat had docked roughly two hours before the collision and had begun disembarking passengers. Authorities have not yet released any information about injuries or deaths.
"Multiple individuals have been rescued, and search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing," a city spokesperson said.
Video from the scene showed the far larger tanker plowing into the paddlewheel boat as metal and glass crashed and crunched, The Associated Press reported. More than a dozen people wearing life jackets were pulled from the river, where the water temperature was 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit), and taken aboard nearby ships. Others were seen standing near the railing as the vessel listed further into the water.
"Surreal, that's what that was," witness Jamie Holford told local television. "Fifteen minutes from impact to where it rolled over."
Port police, the fire department, the coastguard and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, and a triage area was established inside the port's administration building. The river has been closed to vessel traffic.
American Cruise Lines, which operates the boat, said guests and crew had been evacuated and that the company was "deeply concerned for everyone involved."
The American Heritage is a five-deck vessel built in 2015 that can hold up to 150 passengers. It had been completing an eight-day cruise with stops in Louisiana and Mississippi.
The 160-metre (520-foot) tanker was sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands and was bound for New Orleans, according to the MarineTraffic tracker. The ship specialises in carrying asphalt and bitumen, the maritime periodical Marine Insights said.
The cause of the collision remains unknown, and it is also unclear whether the tanker was carrying cargo at the time.
