A tanker collided with a river cruise ship carrying 129 passengers on the Mississippi River near the Port of New Orleans on Friday afternoon.
Video posted to social media shows the moment the tanker collided with the riverboat.
Additional footage shows passengers clinging on as the riverboat became submerged.
Some passengers went overboard and were seen in the water wearing lifejackets.
Second Update: As of 5:45 pm ET, all passengers have been unaccounted for and 32 people have been hospitalized.
WDSU reported:
Multiple agencies are responding to a boat crash in the Mississippi River.
At 12:30 p.m. the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with the American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage while the cruise ship was docked on the Mississippi River outside 1350 Port of New Orleans Place.
The American Heritage had docked approximately two hours earlier to begin passenger disembarkation, according to Port NOLA.
At the time of the incident, approximately 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, were aboard the American Heritage.
It is unclear why the collision happened or if anyone is injured.
BREAKING: Rescue operations are underway after a tanker collided with a docked riverboat on the Mississippi River near the Port of New Orleans, officials said Friday.
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— ABC News (@ABC) November 13, 2026
President Trump released a statement on the collision:
Thank you to the United States Coast Guard for doing such an incredible job of rescue, and other work, having to do with the crash of the two ships in Louisiana. Likewise, all of Law Enforcement and First Responders were fantastic! Incredibly, nobody was killed by this major collision. 32 people are in the hospital. Thank you to Governor Jeff Landry for your outstanding leadership during this very agonizing period of time. President DONALD J. TRUMP
