All passengers and crew have been accounted for after an oil tanker struck a docked cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, injuring 32 people.
According to The Guardian, the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with the American Heritage cruise ship at approximately 12:30 PM, causing the vessel to tilt onto its side and sending several people into the water.
The cruise ship had 197 passengers aboard when the collision occurred.
Emergency crews, including firefighters, the US Coast Guard and local police, launched a major rescue operation.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed that 32 people were taken to hospital, including two harbour police officers involved in the rescue.
None of the injuries were considered critical, and no deaths were reported.
Moreno described the outcome as a “miracle on the Mississippi”.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry praised rescuers for safely evacuating passengers despite the river’s dangerous currents.
“The Mississippi River is not some quiet pond. There were challenges out there,” Landry said.
Authorities have not confirmed what caused the collision, although investigators will examine whether the tanker experienced steering problems.
The Mississippi River was temporarily closed to facilitate rescue operations.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate the crash.
