tanker struck a passenger cruise boat carrying 129 people on the Mississippi River, triggering an emergency rescue operation.
NEW ORLEANS, United States, Emergency crews launched a rescue operation on Friday after a tanker collided with a river cruise boat carrying 129 passengers on the Mississippi River in New Orleans.
The collision caused the passenger vessel, identified as the American Heritage, to tilt sharply and become partially submerged.
According to local authorities, the incident happened near the Port of New Orleans while the cruise boat was docked.
The tanker, identified as the Atlantic Asphalt, struck the smaller passenger vessel, according to information released by authorities.
Video from the scene showed passengers in life jackets and people standing near the boat’s railings as emergency teams responded.
New Orleans Emergency Medical Services official Lieutenant Stephanie C. Norwood said emergency agencies were responding to the incident and assisting with rescue efforts.
The United States Coast Guard, local police, fire services and medical teams were among the agencies involved in the operation.
The American Heritage is operated by American Cruise Lines and was carrying passengers and crew members at the time of the collision.
Authorities had not immediately confirmed the number of injured people or whether anyone had died.
The cause of the collision was not immediately known. An investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
