Passenger cruise vessel sinks after being struck by a tanker in the United States

Bangla Press Desk:  A passenger excursion vessel capsized after being struck by an oil tanker on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, USA. At least 32 people have been hospitalized. There were 129 passengers on board the vessel at the time of the accident.

The incident occurred on the Mississippi River around 12:30 PM local time on Friday (November 13). According to the Port of New Orleans authorities, a tanker named *Atlantic Asphalt* collided with an excursion vessel called *American Heritage*.

New Orleans City Councilmember Helena Moreno stated in a press conference on Friday evening that all passengers who had been on board the vessel have been accounted for. Thirty-two of them were taken to local hospitals, though none of the injuries are considered serious.

The councilmember explained that the tanker lost control and struck the excursion vessel just as passengers were beginning to disembark. Following the collision, the vessel began to sink gradually, eventually listing and capsizing, which caused several passengers to fall into the river.

Citing eyewitnesses, the Associated Press (AP) reported that the impact shattered the vessel’s metal structure and glass. At least 15 people wearing life jackets were pulled from the river and taken onto nearby vessels. The water temperature in the river at the time of the accident was 19 degrees Celsius.

Eyewitness Jamie Holford told a local television channel that the event was "unbelievable," noting that the vessel completely capsized within just 15 minutes of the collision.

Immediately following the accident, port police, the fire department, the Coast Guard, and emergency medical personnel launched rescue operations. A facility was set up at the port’s administrative building to provide initial medical treatment and triage for the injured. All river traffic was suspended as a result of the incident.

American Cruise Lines, the company operating the vessel, stated that all passengers and crew members have been safely evacuated. The company expressed deep concern for the safety of everyone involved in the incident. The five-deck *American Heritage* cruise ship, built in 2015, has a maximum capacity of 150 passengers. It was returning to New Orleans after an eight-day voyage to various destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Meanwhile, the 160-meter-long *Atlantic*—an asphalt tanker sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands—is used for transporting asphalt and bitumen. It remains unconfirmed whether the vessel was carrying any cargo at the time of the accident. The exact cause of the collision is also not yet known.