Dramatic accident in the USA: a tanker hit a cruise ship and some passengers ended up in the Mississippi (but they were all saved)

Yesterday November 13th, at New Orleans (USA), the passengers of a river cruise vessel were rescued from the waters of the Mississippi following a dramatic if absurd accident: a tanker, in fact, collided with the vessel while it was moored, causing it to capsize.

The governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landrycalled the incident a “miracle on the Mississippi”, as all 197 passengers were saved, after dramatic moments in which the people on board, as reported by CNN, desperately clung to the railings of theAmerican Heritage as the ship began to take on water and capsize.

Thanks to the heroic intervention of the rescuers, all the passengers have been traced – Landry writes on his profile

Of these, 32 were transported to hospital with minor injuries, while others were treated on site for bruises and abrasions. But nothing truly tragic happened from a purely physical point of view. Although the accident certainly caused psychological trauma in the people involved.

According to U.S. Coast Guard Capt Melanie Burnhamthe tanker, theAtlantic Asphaltwould have lost control, with causes, however, still to be identified (investigators are still working to reconstruct the exact dynamics of what happened).

The Fire Brigade of New Orleans intervened promptly after the collision, and other boats on the river also intervened to help recover people from the water. The same one American Cruise Linesowner of the riverboat said it had worked with local authorities to evacuate all passengers on board.

Following the rescue operation, the US Coast Guard is now working to reopen the river, which was closed immediately after the accident.

Sources: CNN / CNN/Facebook / Governor Jeff Landry/X