A chaotic scene unfolded on the Mississippi River Friday afternoon when a massive asphalt tanker collided with a docked riverboat, sending the vessel rolling onto its side and passengers scrambling into the water. Despite the dramatic capsizing, New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno confirmed all 129 passengers and crew members aboard the American Heritage riverboat survived what she dubbed a ‘miracle on the Mississippi.’
‘It Looked Like Something Off the Titanic’
Eyewitness Jamie Holford described the terrifying moment the 81-meter paddlewheeler began to tip after being struck by the 160-meter Atlantic Asphalt tanker around 12:30 p.m. ‘People were hurrying off as it rolled,’ Holford told CBS News. ‘It looked like something off the Titanic.’
The Port of New Orleans said the American Heritage had been docked for about two hours to disembark passengers when the collision occurred. Emergency radio traffic captured responders reporting the riverboat ‘taking on water steadily’ as it listed dangerously to one side.
Dramatic Rescue Efforts
As the deck tilted toward the river, some passengers surfaced wearing life jackets while others clung to railings. Private boats in the area immediately joined the rescue, pulling more than a dozen people from the water. Thirty-two passengers were transported to local hospitals, though none sustained critical injuries.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who flew to New Orleans following the incident, echoed the mayor’s characterization of the outcome as miraculous, particularly given the demographic of typical river cruise passengers. ‘We’re talking about seniors, families with children – this could have been so much worse,’ Landry told reporters.
Federal Response and Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched a Go Team to investigate, though Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) noted the FAA’s nationwide ground stop Friday afternoon – caused by an air traffic control system failure – delayed investigators’ arrival. The Coast Guard has closed a three-mile stretch of the river to all vessel traffic while the probe continues.
Tracking data shows the Atlantic Asphalt had arrived in New Orleans just two days prior from Paulsboro, New Jersey. The tanker’s crew is cooperating with authorities, though questions remain about how the collision occurred while the riverboat was stationary at dock.
President Donald Trump called Gov. Landry to offer federal assistance, while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin – sworn in just eight months prior – coordinated with state officials. As night fell on the Mississippi, the capsized riverboat remained partially submerged, a stark reminder of what Mayor Moreno called ‘a day we’ll never forget, for all the right reasons.’
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/local/2026/11/13/new-orleans-mayor-on-capsized-riverboat-miracle-on-the-mississippi/