Passengers were caught on camera scrambling over the railings of the American Heritage cruise ship as it went under on the Mississippi River after a collision with a tanker at about 12:30pm local time. The river cruiser had been moored at the Port of New Orleans when the Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck its side, and video footage showed passengers screaming as the vessel listed sharply and sank rapidly. Between 180 and 190 people were aboard, according to New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno.

A frantic rescue operation followed, and 32 people were taken to hospital for treatment. Clips circulating on social media show people in life jackets in the water as helicopters circled overhead, and a video shared by KSLA News 12 showed passengers clinging to the stricken ship as it continued to take on water. The U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed that all passengers are accounted for. One report from the Coast Guard, however, says there were no reported casualties, while another says one person was killed, so the outcome on that point is not settled in the sources.S1S2

Mayor Moreno said the American Cruise Lines vessel "toppled over and flipped" after the tanker navigating the river lost control. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry praised the speed of the emergency response and dubbed it the "miracle on the Mississippi". The cause of the crash remains unclear, and the mayor said an investigation is under way, though a "loss of steering" may have been involved.S1S2

The incident matters beyond the passengers on board because the Mississippi is the second-longest river in North America and a major commercial waterway, carrying 669 million tons of cargo across the United States every year according to the US Army Corps of Engineers. The Coast Guard said its focus now shifts to safely reopening the river and coordinating salvage operations. The river is expected to reopen first to one-way traffic, with the Coast Guard's vessel monitoring service directing all vessels moving through the area.S1S2