About 130 people were rescued after a cruise ship was struck by a tanker while docked in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday. At least 32 people were taken to hospital with non-critical injuries, but no one was reported missing. By Saturday, nine people remained hospitalised, according to a BBC report.
The collision left the riverboat, American Heritage, lying on its side in the Mississippi River. Officials described the rescue operation as a "miracle on the Mississippi".
Videos of the collision have gone viral on social media. The footage shows the American Heritage taking on water and gradually tilting onto its side following the impact.
"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.
How Did The Cruise Ship-Tanker Collision Happen?
The American Heritage was struck by a cargo vessel, Atlantic Asphalt, while docked in New Orleans. Emergency calls about the collision began coming in around 1:30 pm EST (6:30 pm GMT) on Friday, as people rushed to help passengers escape the vessel, Port of New Orleans chief Melanie Montroll told BBC.
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There were approximately 129 passengers, along with crew members, aboard the American Heritage at the time of the collision, according to the port authority. Passengers began evacuating the paddlewheel vessel, operated by American Cruise Lines, as it started listing before eventually tipping onto its side, Moreno said.
Tugboat operators, police personnel and other first responders rushed to the scene to assist with the rescue. Authorities also suspended traffic on the Mississippi River during the operation.
The mayor also revealed that the ship's captain was injured in the accident but refused medical treatment until he was certain that all passengers and crew members had been accounted for.
US President Donald Trump praised the rescue operation in a post on Truth Social, calling it an "incredible job".
Meanwhile, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also hailed the operation as a "miracle on the Mississippi", considering the "sheer number of people who were on that cruise ship" and were rescued safely.
The American Heritage can accommodate up to 150 guests and is operated by American Cruise Lines. According to the company's website, the vessel features a glass-enclosed restaurant, a fitness centre and three guest lounges. Built in 2015, the riverboat has at least four decks and operates cruises along the Mississippi River and other waterways.
The vessel had been completing an eight-day cruise, with scheduled stops at destinations across Louisiana and Mississippi, when the collision occurred.
The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation. However, US Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham told the BBC that there appeared to have been "some type of a loss of steering".
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