An asphalt tanker collided with a passenger riverboat docked at the Port of New Orleans on the Mississippi River on Friday afternoon, November 13, 2026, rolling the vessel onto its side, sending passengers into the water and triggering a major rescue operation.
The Port of New Orleans said the tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck American Cruise Lines' American Heritage at about 12:30 p.m. local time, below the Crescent City Connection bridge near mile marker 96. About 129 passengers, plus crew, were aboard; the riverboat had arrived roughly two hours earlier to disembark passengers.
The riverboat capsized onto its side at the dock. CBS News reported at least 14 people were rescued from the water, and local reports said more than a dozen people were hospitalized; officials had not released a confirmed injury count. American Cruise Lines said guests and crew were evacuated and that it was coordinating closely with the Coast Guard and local authorities.
The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Mississippi River to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 while responders worked, joined by Port NOLA Harbor Police, the New Orleans Fire Department, police and EMS. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said he had been briefed and was in contact with local officials. The cause of the collision remains under investigation, and it was not yet clear whether the tanker suffered a mechanical failure before impact.
Sources: Reuters, USA Today, New York Post, and statements from the Port of New Orleans and the U.S. Coast Guard — November 13, 2026. (Developing story.)
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