New Orleans cruise crash live: All passengers accounted for after tanker crashes into cruise ship

Detailed summary

All passengers have been accounted for after a tanker crashed into the side of the American Cruise Lines' American Heritage at the Port of New Orleans - a rescue mission has been launched on the Mississippi River

A cruise ship capsized after colliding with an oil tanker, sparking a huge rescue operation - will all passengers pulled to safety with no reported injuries, the U.S. Coastguard says.

The Atlantic Asphalt tanker crashed into the side of the American Cruise Lines' American Heritage at around 12:30pm local time. The river cruiser was docked on the Mississippi River at the Port of New Orleans when it was hit.

Footage caught the moment passengers screamed as the ship began falling to its side and sinking rapidly. In other videos circulating on social media, several people are seen in the water wearing life jackets as helicopters fly overhead.

The latest statement from the U.S. Coastguard reads: "Working closely with our partners, the USCG has confirmed all passengers are accounted for, with no reported casualties following the collision on the MS River. Our focus now shifts to safely reopening the river and coordinating salvage operations."

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno called it "a miracle on the Mississippi."

Footage caught the moment passengers screamed as the ship began falling to its side and sinking rapidly. In other videos circulating on social media, several people are seen in the water wearing life jackets as helicopters fly overhead.

President Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account, praised the work of first responders, law enforcement and the U.S. Coast Guard in responding to Friday’s collision.

“Thank you to the United States Coast Guard for doing such an incredible job of rescue, and other work, having to do with the crash of the two ships in Louisiana. Likewise, all of Law Enforcement and First Responders were fantastic!” Trump said in the post. “Incredibly, nobody was killed by this major collision. 32 people are in the hospital.”

Louisiana governor Jeff Landry says an investigation to establish the cause of the crash is underway.

Opening of the article, excerpted from Daily Mirror. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.