New Orleans port officials filed a federal lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages from the owner and operator of an asphalt tanker that crashed into a docked cruise ship on the Mississippi River on Friday.
The M/V Atlantic Asphalt struck the five-deck paddlewheel cruise ship American Heritage at approximately 12:30 p.m. while passengers were disembarking at the port’s Thalia Street terminal. The collision caused the riverboat to list, flip onto its side, and partially submerge, leaving 32 people hospitalized with non-critical injuries.
Port of New Orleans Files Lawsuit to Seize Atlantic Asphalt Tanker
The board of commissioners of the Port of New Orleans filed the complaint late Friday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, naming the tanker, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and its management company Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd as defendants.
I am devastated to hear about the ships crashing near the Port of New Orleans. I am monitoring the situation closely and praying for the swift rescue of survivors and for all emergency crews responding to the situation.https://t.co/igj4ViRvGX
U.S. District Judge Wendy Vitter approved a court order authorizing the seizure of the Atlantic Asphalt tanker, which the port requested be sold to help cover repair expenses for extensive damage to the terminal and cleanup costs.
The ship was built in 2015 and is operated by American Cruise Lines, which is based in Guilford, Connecticut. The 11-year-old vessel was originally known as the Queen of the Mississippi before the company rebranded its fleet in 2022.
UPDATE: All individuals involved in today's vessel collision on the Mississippi River near the Port of New Orleans have been accounted for, with no reported fatalities or critical injuries. For the latest information read the City's full press release at https://t.co/peElpWszmQ pic.twitter.com/jwRPeACPMv
It can accommodate up to 150 passengers and features staterooms, suites, lounges, dining rooms, a fitness center, and elevators to all decks. At the time of the collision, an estimated 129 passengers and crew members were aboard while the ship was set to begin an 8-day, 7-night round-trip Highlights of the Mississippi Cruise.
According to the lawsuit, the tanker and operating companies failed to comply with safety requirements and did not take appropriate precautions to prevent the collision with the stationary vessel. The complaint maintains that the port bears no responsibility for the crash.
NOLAREADY:RTA ferry service across the Mississippi River is temporarily suspended as a precaution after a collision involving two vessels. Plan alternate routes
Thome Ship Management stated on Saturday that the tanker’s crew is safe and accounted for and that the vessel was separated from the riverboat and stably anchored for damage assessments.
“OSM Thome is fully complying with the local authorities as they carry out the necessary investigations,” the company said. “We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all parties and personnel who responded to this incident with urgency and humanity.”
Rescuers Evacuate Passengers as Ship Begins to Sink
Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll ordered two of her officers onto the sinking ship during the evacuation. First responders and other vessels in the port volunteered to pull people out of the water. Thirty passengers and two police officers were transported to hospitals, and all individuals aboard the vessels were accounted for with zero fatalities.
“We have zero people unaccounted for, which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi,” New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno told reporters during a press conference. Mayor Moreno said that the cruise ship began to sink while passengers were disembarking and eventually toppled over and flipped.
American Cruise Lines officials praised the rapid evacuation led by Capt. Leonard Stewart and the crew. According to the company, Capt. Stewart remained on the bridge as the vessel capsized, calling for aid and keeping the ship alongside the dock for as long as possible. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called the collision a freak accident and stressed that the busy Mississippi River remains a safe way to travel.
US Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said that “There seems to be some type of a loss of steering.” Members of the National Transportation Safety Board arrived in New Orleans on Saturday and recovered the tanker’s voyage data recorder within hours.
Earlier this afternoon a tanker hit a cruise ship along the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The cruise ship took on water and eventually flipped. Because of the heroic work of our first responders ALL PASSENGERS have been accounted for. This is nothing short of a miracle.… pic.twitter.com/dol1SsaRcN
NTSB investigators plan to conduct witness interviews, examine both vessels, collect crash videos, and send divers into the river over a seven-day period, noting that complete findings could take 18 to 24 months to compile.
“It’s basic parameters: speed through the water, direction, course. And also it has audio from the bridge of the vessel,” Drew Ehlers, deputy director of the NTSB’s Office of Marine Safety, told FOX 8 Live WVUE.
Earlier coverage: New Orleans Officials File Lawsuit After Tanker Flips Cruise Ship