In New Orleans, a tanker collision with a docked river cruise boat led to a massive rescue operation on the Mississippi River.
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Rescues were underway on the Mississippi River after a tanker struck a river cruise boat in New Orleans on Friday, with passengers and crew falling into the water as the boat took on water and began to topple over.
The New Orleans mayor said all 180 people aboard survived the crash and that there were zero people unaccounted for.
Mayor Helena Moreno said 32 people were taken to hospital, and none of those injuries were described as critical.
The mayor said the boat began listing within minutes and flipped while emergency workers were still trying to get everyone off the ship, and that dozens of people on board and at least two police officers were brought from the river onto nearby vessels.
The crash involved an Atlantic Asphalt tanker that reportedly lost steering, according to Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham.
Marine traffic reporting said the American Heritage cruise boat was built in 2015 and operated by American Cruise Lines, and that the cruise was finishing an eight-day trip to destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi.
Rescue efforts included nearby workers and tugboat operators, while cruise officials conducted a roll call to ensure everyone was accounted for.
The National Transportation Safety Board planned to investigate, but members were initially unable to get to New Orleans because flights nationwide were grounded due to communications problems at regional air traffic control centers.
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