Authorities have confirmed that every passenger and crew member has been accounted for following a dramatic collision on the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon when an Atlantic Asphalt tanker struck the docked river cruise ship American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines.
The impact caused the cruise vessel to take on water and tilt onto its side. Social media footage captured alarming scenes of passengers climbing onto balcony railings to keep above the water as the ship listed horizontally, while emergency responders rushed to begin rescue operations.
As recovery and safety operations continued, maritime experts began examining potential causes for the collision. Martin J Davies, a maritime law expert at Tulane University, told local outlet Fox 8 that early indications suggested the crash may have stemmed from either a steering or engine failure aboard the vessels.
