US News

Tanker strikes docked New Orleans river cruise boat; rescues underway

A tanker named Atlantic Asphalt hit the American Heritage, which had about 129 passengers aboard, on the Mississippi River.

Published Nov 13, 2026 · 23:52 UTC11 reports

The short version

A tanker named Atlantic Asphalt struck the docked American Heritage cruise boat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday.[Associated Press]
The boat had about 129 passengers aboard, and American Cruise Lines said guests and crew were evacuated.[Al Jazeera · The Guardian]
An emergency response source said the tanker may have lost power before the impact, a claim that remains unconfirmed.[The Guardian · Associated Press]
The U.S. Coast Guard closed a three-mile stretch of the river to traffic while responders assess the situation.[NBC News]

A tanker named Atlantic Asphalt struck the docked American Heritage cruise boat on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026.[Associated Press]
The American Heritage had about 129 passengers on board when it was struck, according to the Port of New Orleans press secretary.[The Guardian]
The Port of New Orleans said the collision occurred at about 12:30 p.m. local time.[Al Jazeera · The Guardian]
American Cruise Lines stated that guests and crew had been evacuated.[Al Jazeera]
An emergency response source said it was possible the tanker had lost power before striking the American Heritage.[The Guardian]
U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Krystal Wolfe stated that a three-mile stretch of the river was closed to traffic while responders assessed the situation and conducted response operations.[NBC News]

Whether the tanker lost power before the collision is unverified; the claim rests on an unnamed emergency response source.[The Guardian]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.