Coast Guard responds to New Orleans ship collision, 140 missing

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. U.S. Coast Guard personnel are responding to a collision between a cruise ship and a cargo ship in New Orleans that has left numerous people missing. Rescue is underway in the Mississippi River near the busy ship channel between the French Quarter and Algiers. Coast Guard units responding to the emergency include Maritime Safety and Security Team New Orleans, Aids to Navigation New Orleans and Air Station New Orleans. The Coast Guard is working with Louisiana State Police, New Orleans Fire Department, Port NOLA Harbor Police, maritime salvage and other emergency responders in the search and rescue effort, according to a Coast Guard official. “The United States Coast Guard, in coordination with local response partners, is responding to a vessel collision involving a tanker and a cruise ship near Mile Marker 96 on the Mississippi River,” Coast Guard Chief of Public Affairs Capt. Timothy Balunis said Friday. Balunis added that the river is closed to vessel traffic as officials “assess the situation and conduct response operations.” “This is a developing situation,” Balunis said. According to WDSU in New Orleans, the American Cruise Lines riverboat cruise ship American Heritage carried nearly 130 passengers, which had been docked in port. It was T-boned by the tanker Atlantic Asphalt at roughly 12:30 p.m. and was completely on its side four hours later, according to photos posted on social media. A Coast Guard official said the service will launch a Marine Board of Investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the accident and whether criminal activity is suspected. The board can make recommendations on criminal charges. Balunis said additional information would be released when it becomes available.