Tanker collides with New Orleans river cruise ship carrying over 130 people

A tanker collided with the American Heritage, a river cruise vessel operated by American Cruise Lines, on the Mississippi River near New Orleans at about 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday. The impact caused the ship to take on water, and rescue efforts were launched for the roughly 129 passengers and crew on board. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry confirmed the incident on X, saying he was in contact with local officials and law enforcement. The Port of New Orleans press office reported that authorities are responding to the emergency and providing assistance to those affected.