A tanker collided with a river cruise boat carrying around 130 passengers near the port of New Orleans on Friday, partially submerging the vessel and triggering a rescue operation on the Mississippi River, officials said.The tanker, identified as the Atlantic Asphalt, struck the American Heritage, a paddlewheel cruise ship operated by American Cruise Lines, while the vessel appeared to be docked. The impact caused the cruise boat to list and partially sink.Video footage from the scene showed passengers on the deck as the boat tilted into the water. Some people were seen in the river wearing life jackets, while others stood near the vessel’s railing. Passengers who had evacuated the American Heritage were being taken to the New Orleans port administration building.Authorities did not immediately confirm whether there were any injuries or fatalities. Lieutenant Stephanie C. Norwood of New Orleans Emergency Medical Services said all agencies were responding to the rescue efforts.New Orleans firefighters, port and city police, the US Coast Guard and local emergency medical services personnel were involved in the rescue and response operations, according to a statement from port authorities.The US Coast Guard said the Mississippi River had been closed to all vessel traffic between mile markers 93 and 96 to allow responders to “assess the situation and conduct response operations”.The cause of the collision was not immediately known.
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