American Heritage Capsized in New Orleans: Timeline

We just cruised American Cruise Lines aboard the new American Ranger on the Hudson, and we had a wonderful time. That is why yesterday’s news from New Orleans hit us so hard.

American Heritage, another ship in the same fleet, was docked there, just in from Natchez, Mississippi, when a tanker struck it broadside at about 12:30 p.m. CT. The riverboat took on water and rolled over alongside the dock.

The Coast Guard then closed the river at the port, between mile markers 93 and 96. No vessel could pass through that stretch, in either direction.

The sternwheel-riverboat American Heritage, one of American Cruise Lines’ classic vessels operating on the Mississippi River. Image courtesy of American Cruise Lines.

That closure matters because of where New Orleans sits. The port is about 100 miles (160 km) up the Mississippi from the Gulf. A ship has to sail that whole stretch to get there, and the same stretch again to leave. So a closure right at the port blocks traffic in and out. Three ocean ships were due in on Saturday, and they might be caught by it.

Thirty-two people were taken to hospitals. None were critically injured, according to reports. We are glad for that, and we sympathize with what the passengers and crew went through, for the fright, the injuries, and what was lost. They are at the center of this story.

It was a Friday the 13th in more than one sense. That same afternoon, a communications outage grounded all departing flights across the country for more than four hours. It held up the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team on its way to New Orleans, and the passengers trying to get home.

We also want to try to recognize everyone who came to help: The first responders who went into the water. The Coast Guard, the fire department, the police, and the medical teams. The Port officials and Harbor Police. And the American teams who stayed with their guests, and the communications teams across all the organizations involved in the rescue efforts, who kept information flowing through a difficult day.

But in an effort to gain greater clarity of what happened, we pieced together the below timeline from credible news outlets. This is current as of 8:00 a.m. CT, Saturday, November 14.

The Morning

American Heritage is a Classic Paddlewheeler in the American fleet. The line lists it among four Classic Paddlewheelers — American Splendor, American Heritage, American Pride, and American West — all renovated in 2022. Classic Paddlewheelers accommodate 110 to 180 passengers.

American’s core audience is generally 55 and up, according to Pavlus Travel. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser told ABC he worried because river cruises draw elderly passengers. And passenger Tamara Carrasco, 65, told Perdido Street News she was among the youngest guests aboard.

Friday was a turnaround day. The ship had just finished one eight-day sailing and was due to start the next one that afternoon.

10:53 a.m. CT, Friday, November 13 — American Heritage docked. Kimberly Curth, spokesperson for the Port of New Orleans, told USA Today the ship “had docked approximately two hours before the collision to begin passenger disembarkation.”

About 129 passengers plus crew were aboard, the Port said, according to WGNO.

The Impact

12:30 p.m. CT — The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Atlantic Asphalt, 525 ft (160 m), struck American Heritage while it was docked below the Crescent City Connection bridge, near mile marker 96, WGNO reported. The Port gave the time as about 12:30 p.m.

American said in its first statement that the collision happened while the ship was docked. Guests and crew were evacuated. The company said it was “deeply concerned for everyone involved.”

The tanker struck the riverboat broadside. The riverboat took on water. She rolled over alongside the dock.

Passenger Rhonda Akers told NBC News: “After the initial crash, it hit us again and we flipped over and I had to crawl over the railing and people to save myself.”

Witness Jamie Holford told WDSU it took about 15 minutes from impact to roll over.

The River Closes

2:00 p.m. CT — The river was closed as of this time, WGNO reported. Video from the scene showed the paddlewheeler fully on its side by 2:30 p.m. CT, OpenJaw reported.

CNN has video from the scene.

2:50 p.m. CT — The Coast Guard confirmed the closure. Tasha Smith, spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard Heartland District, told USA Today: “The river is closed to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 while responders assess the situation and conduct response operations.”

The closure covered a 3-mile stretch (4.8 km). Ferry service was suspended, WGNO reported.

The Rescue

3:08 p.m. CT — At least 12 people were in the water, WDSU reported.

At least 14 people were rescued from the water, CBS News reported in an early report.

3:17 p.m. CT — Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said about 87 passengers got off before the ship capsized, Reuters reported.

All Accounted For

4:11 p.m. CT — Mayor Helena Moreno said all crew and passengers had been accounted for, WVUE reported.

Moreno said 32 people were taken to hospitals, none critically injured, OpenJaw reported. She called the outcome “a miracle on the Mississippi.”

Two Harbor Police officers who were among those hospitalized were released on Friday evening, CNN reported.

The Authorities Respond

4:20 p.m. CT — The Coast Guard will also convene a Marine Board of Investigation, Scott Sanfilippo reported.

5:07 p.m. CT — Coast Guard Capt. Melanie A. Burnham said the tanker appeared to have “some type of loss of steering,” USA Today reported. Mayor Moreno said the tanker had “lost control” before it struck the ship.

Burnham said a river pilot was steering the tanker at the time, CNN reported, in the Coast Guard’s evening briefing.

5:14 p.m. CT — The NTSB posted on X that it is launching a Go Team to investigate the collision, USA Today reported. The team expected to arrive on Saturday morning. Board Member John DeLeeuw would be the agency’s spokesperson on scene, the post said.

6:07 p.m. CT — Gov. Jeff Landry said state inspectors confirmed the Crescent City Connection bridge was not hit, Muskogee Local News reported. In the same report, Burnham confirmed search-and-rescue had ended.

6:38 p.m. CT — The NTSB posted again on X that, because of the nationwide ground stop, no board member would travel to New Orleans, investigators would drive instead, and no media briefings were planned, WVUE reported.

The Evening

6:55 p.m. CT — The line said in a second statement that they are grateful to the Coast Guard, its crew, and local first responders, Cruise Radio reported. It said it was getting everyone who was aboard settled into hotels.

8:39 p.m. CT — All 197 passengers and crew members had been accounted for, the Port said in a Facebook update.

Officials speak at a Port of New Orleans press conference on Friday, November 13, 2026, after the tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck the docked American Heritage. Gov. Jeff Landry, centre, stands behind the podium. Image courtesy of the Port of New Orleans. — Officials speak at a Port of New Orleans press conference on Friday, November 13, 2026, after the tanker *Atlantic Asphalt* struck the docked *American Heritage*. Gov. Jeff Landry, centre, stands behind the podium. Image courtesy of the Port of New Orleans.

12:07 a.m. CT, Saturday, November 14 — Montroll said it took about 30 to 45 minutes to get everyone out of the water, WorkBoat reported.

What Happens Next

Three ocean ships were due in New Orleans on Saturday: Mariner of the Seas, Carnival Valor, and Crystal Symphony.

The river is still closed, and that is the question that matters most now. As of Saturday morning, no reopening had been announced, and a closed river could still delay the ocean ships due in today. That is the risk to watch.

There is some reassurance on that front. Carnival said on Friday evening that Valor and Liberty would sail as planned, with no expected delays. That is a positive sign for the weekend, and for New Orleans cruising in the short term.

For now, our support is with the passengers, the crew, and their families. It is also with everyone in New Orleans working to get the river open again, and to find out what happened.

Update, Saturday afternoon: The Mississippi River is now open to all traffic, the U.S. Coast Guard told USA Today on Saturday. A 500-foot (152 m) safety zone is in effect around American Heritage.

American Cruise Lines said on Saturday that Captain Leonard Stewart remained on the bridge as the vessel capsized, calling for aid and keeping the ship alongside the dock for as long as possible.