A couple aboard a docked cruise ship that later capsized in the Mississippi River captured the terrifying approach of a massive tanker moments before it struck the vessel in New Orleans on Friday.
The American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines, was moored in New Orleans, Louisiana, when the 520-foot Atlantic Asphalt collided with it shortly after noon.
A dramatic rescue operation brought all 180 people aboard to safety in an incident being called the “miracle on the Mississippi.” The US Coast Guard, emergency crews and members of the public all helped evacuate those on board.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said at about 4 p.m. local time that 32 cruise passengers had been taken to hospitals. None was suffering from critical injuries.
Two of those receiving medical care were New Orleans Harbor Police officers who had jumped into the river to help rescue passengers, Moreno said.
Shocking images from the scene showed passengers clinging to railings as the cruise ship began to tip and sink.
Newly released footage offers a closer look at the moment a couple noticed the approaching tanker and realised a collision could not be avoided.
The video, circulated on social media, appears to have been recorded from a cabin balcony. It shows the green-and-red tanker moving directly toward the cruise ship.
A couple aboard the docked cruise ship filmed the huge tanker moving toward them shortly before the collision in New Orleans on Friday
The cruise ship later overturned and remained partly submerged; Mayor Helena Moreno said 32 passengers were treated at hospitals, with no one reported missing
A loud metallic clatter is heard as a chain drops into the river. The sound then stops, and the chain appears to tighten.
As the couple realises the tanker is not stopping in time, the man and woman can be heard shouting, “Oh gosh,” before rushing back inside their cabin.
“Hang on baby, hang on baby, hang on baby, come on,” the woman filming says as they move toward the cabin door.
The recording ends as the couple runs from the area moments before the crash.
President Donald Trump praised the US Coast Guard in a post on Truth Social, thanking its crews “for doing such an incredible job of rescue, and other work, having to do with the crash.” He added that “incredibly, nobody was killed by this major collision.”
Additional videos showed the cruise ship slowly leaning to one side before rolling onto its flank, where it remained partly underwater.
The five-storey vessel, which can accommodate 150 passengers, was pulled further into the river as the tanker scraped along its side.
Police officers were seen sprinting along the dock while frightened passengers cried out.
The couple hurried toward the cabin exit after realising the tanker was about to strike, before the footage ended
Emergency responders helped pull people from the Mississippi River after the collision
MORE ON THIS: The Decline of Once Popular Hollywood Star Olivier Martinez
Approximately 180 people were aboard the cruise ship, which had been docked for around two hours when the crash occurred
Moreno said the American Heritage began taking on water before “toppling over and flipping,” sending people into the river.
Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said roughly 87 passengers had managed to leave the ship before it capsized.
The mayor said the rapid response from local, state and federal agencies, along with bystanders aboard nearby vessels, helped prevent any deaths.
She also said the tanker had narrowly avoided hitting a bridge over the river shortly before the collision. The bridge carries about 160,000 vehicles each day.
Devon Flanagan was working nearby at the Port of New Orleans when employees rushed toward the dock. After leaving his truck, he saw the overturned ship and passengers in the water.
“It was just chaos,” he said. “You had all types of ships, like other barges and other companies down there trying to help out, which also was a little convoluted because you had people still in the water.”
The American Heritage had been completing an eight-day voyage that visited destinations along the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Mississippi.
According to the live shipping service MarineTraffic, the tanker is designed to transport large loads of asphalt and bitumen, a semi-solid material commonly used in road building and roofing.
MarineTraffic listed New Orleans as the tanker’s final destination; the vessel was sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands
Rescue crews worked in the river on Friday as what appeared to be belongings from the cruise ship floated nearby
Disturbing photographs showed passengers gripping the ship’s railings after the collision
MarineTraffic listed New Orleans as the tanker’s destination and identified it as sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands.
The US Coast Guard said in an emailed statement that river traffic had been halted near the crash site following the collision.
Coast Guard Captain Melanie Burnham told the New Orleans Advocate that the tanker appeared to have suffered a steering problem. Investigators had not yet determined the exact cause of the incident.
American Cruise Lines said it was working with the Coast Guard and local officials in response to the crash.
“Guests and crew were evacuated, and we are deeply concerned for everyone involved,” the company said.
Officials were continuing efforts to arrange hotel accommodation for people who had been aboard the cruise ship.
Congressman Troy Carter earlier said a Federal Aviation Administration ground stop had affected the National Transportation Safety Board’s search-and-rescue work at the collision site.
The FAA imposed a nationwide ground stop on US flights that afternoon, citing “extraordinary circumstances.” The restriction was lifted shortly before 8:30 p.m.
