The Port of New Orleans filed a federal lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages against the owners and operators of the asphalt tanker that crashed into a docked passenger vessel on the Mississippi River.
The legal action targets the M/V Atlantic Asphalt, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and its management company Thome Ship Management Pte, Ltd, after the incident left the American Heritage river cruiser partially submerged at the Thalia Street Terminal.
Due to the residual delays from the nationwide ground stop, the NTSB will no longer send a board member and will instead send a team of investigators by ground to the scene of the vessel collision in New Orleans. No media briefings are planned at this time. Updates on the… https://t.co/3s6A2m1YIc
The Atlantic Asphalt struck the docked riverboat broadside at 12:30 p.m. on November 13, 2026. The collision caused the paddlewheeler to capsize and take on water as passengers and crew prepared to disembark from a journey that had begun two hours before.
Port officials said that 129 passengers were aboard the vessel at the time of the crash. Emergency personnel launched an immediate rescue response as people entered the Mississippi River.
AIS track of the Atlantic Asphalt before the New Orleans collision pic.twitter.com/PLnGswANe4
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno announced during a press conference that every person aboard the ship was accounted for after the search operations. Thirty-two people sustained non-critical injuries and were transported to local medical facilities, including University Medical Center New Orleans and other LCMC Health hospitals.
“We have zero people unaccounted for, which truly is a miracle on the Mississippi,” Moreno told reporters.
UPDATE: All individuals involved in today's vessel collision on the Mississippi River near the Port of New Orleans have been accounted for, with no reported fatalities or critical injuries. For the latest information read the City's full press release at https://t.co/peElpWszmQ pic.twitter.com/jwRPeACPMv
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said at the same briefing, calling the outcome “a literal miracle on the Mississippi.”
Chief Melanie Montroll of the New Orleans Harbor Police said that initial evidence points to a steering issue on the tanker. U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Melanie A. Burnham, commander of Sector New Orleans, said during a news conference that the vessel appeared to have suffered a loss of steering.
Earlier this afternoon a tanker hit a cruise ship along the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The cruise ship took on water and eventually flipped. Because of the heroic work of our first responders ALL PASSENGERS have been accounted for. This is nothing short of a miracle.… pic.twitter.com/dol1SsaRcN
American Cruise Lines said that the paddlewheeler was operating a scheduled itinerary that had departed from New Orleans.
The port’s lawsuit contends that the tanker bore full fault for the collision, which inflicted destruction upon port property, including cleanup, inspection, and repair spending. The filing alleges that the operating companies failed “to use all available means to avoid the risk of” striking a stationary vessel, noting the established legal presumption of fault when a moving ship hits a stationary object.
The port requested that the federal court seize and sell the tanker to satisfy the repair costs. Representatives for Nave Shipping and Thome Ship Management did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the litigation.
“We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all parties and personnel who responded to this incident with urgency and humanity,” the company said.
NOLAREADY: For information on missing persons potentially involved in today's river collision, call 3-1-1 in New Orleans or 504-539-3266 outside New Orleans.
Tamara Carrasco, a passenger aboard the American Heritage, recalled seeing the tanker approach from beneath the nearby bridge before it breached the dining room windows.
“It hit so hard I flew to the ground,” Carrasco said.
WCK is responding in New Orleans, where a tanker collided with a river cruiser carrying over 100 passengers, causing the cruise to capsize. As emergency responders work to bring people ashore from the Mississippi River, WCK teams are on the ground and working to provide meals to… pic.twitter.com/mNGN6NRENo
Captain Brian Clesi of the Creole Queen paddle-wheeler piloted a small rescue boat toward the capsized vessel, assisting in pulling nine people from the water alongside second mate Ellis Kimball Jr.
Capt. Melanie A. Burnham, commander of Sector New Orleans for the U.S. Coast Guard and captain of the port, commended the rapid response of all participating agencies. “I want to recognize the dedication, professionalism and bravery of all those first responders,” Burnham said.
The National Transportation Safety Board deployed a team of investigators by ground to examine the site after nationwide air traffic control communications issues grounded commercial flights and prevented board members from flying to New Orleans.
Earlier coverage: Oil Tanker Hits American Heritage Cruise Ship in New Orleans
