Tanker collides with river cruise boat in New Orleans, dozens hospitalised

A tanker struck a river cruise boat carrying 129 passengers in New Orleans on Friday, partially submerging the vessel, according to authorities.

The Port of New Orleans said the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with the American Heritage paddleboat on the Mississippi River at around 12:30pm local time (18:30 GMT). The cruise boat had docked roughly two hours earlier to begin disembarking passengers.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said at an evening news conference that all those aboard the American Heritage had been accounted for, with 32 taken to local hospitals. None of the injuries were described as critical.

According to the mayor, the tanker lost control before crashing into the cruise vessel. She said passengers were in the process of leaving the boat when it started taking on water, eventually capsizing and throwing people into the river.

Footage from the scene, cited by The Associated Press, showed the larger tanker striking the paddlewheel boat, with the impact causing visible damage to metal and glass.

More than a dozen people wearing life jackets were pulled from the river, where the water temperature stood at about 19 degrees Celsius (66 Fahrenheit), onto nearby vessels. Others were seen clinging to railings as the stricken boat continued to tilt into the water.