New Orleans tanker crash: Video shows passengers clinging to The American Heritage cruise ship as it takes on water

A tanker struck The American Heritage near New Orleans, leaving the cruise ship partly submerged as passengers clung to its railings and rescue efforts began. A river cruise ship was left badly tilted and partly submerged after a tanker struck it on the Mississippi River near the Port of New Orleans on Friday, November 13. Dramatic footage showed passengers holding on to the vessel as it leaned sharply to one side and began taking on water. Rescue operations were underway following the collision.A tanker struck The American Heritage near New Orleans, leaving the cruise ship partly submerged as passengers clung to its railings and rescue efforts began. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton) (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)The passenger vessel, identified as The American Heritage, reportedly had up to 129 people on board when the incident occurred shortly after noon local time. The tanker involved in the crash was identified as Atlantic Asphalt.Passengers cling to vessel as it takes on waterVideo from the scene showed the much larger tanker hitting the river cruise ship, which appeared to be near the dock when the collision happened. Following the impact, the passenger vessel began turning and leaning heavily to one side, with much of it eventually submerged.Sehjal Gupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times and is part of the US Desk. She covers a wide range of stories from the United States, including politics, sports, entertainment, breaking news, and major global developments. She enjoys working across different beats because every story brings a fresh perspective and an opportunity to explore something different. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sehjal was part of The Times of India, where she headed the International Sports and US Streamers team. She reported on international sports, athlete stories, streamer news, and major developments from around the world. The role gave her the opportunity to work on a diverse range of stories while leading coverage across two evolving news categories. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and believes the experience taught her the importance of staying organised, managing priorities, and adapting to new challenges. Over the years, she has reported on a variety of topics and enjoys taking on stories that keep her curious and encourage her to look beyond the obvious. Expertise: International news, International/US sports, and streamer coverage. Interests: Global affairs, geopolitics, politics, and entertainment. Outside work, Sehjal loves travelling, watching movies, and exploring new places to eat. She enjoys discovering new cultures and believes that some of the best stories and experiences come from stepping outside her comfort zone and exploring unfamiliar places.Read More