Home · Business · Nov 14 archive
New Orleans Port Seeks Tanker Seizure After Cruise Ship Crash
Confirmed
In Short: The Port of New Orleans has filed a lawsuit against the tanker M/V Atlantic Asphalt and its management company, Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd, after the vessel crashed into the docked cruise ship American Heritage on Friday, according to BBC and Fox Business.
LIVE UPDATES: Tanker collides with cruise ship on Mississippi River in New Orleans. WDSU News
The collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. Local time, as passengers were disembarking from the American Heritage, which had just docked in New Orleans after an eight-day cruise, as reported by BBC and KSL News.
According to the lawsuit, the tanker struck the cruise ship while it was docked at the Thalia Street terminal, causing significant damage and prompting a rescue operation that saved more than 100 passengers, as noted by BBC and WISH-TV.
US Coast Guard Capt Melanie Burnham told BBC that there seems to be a loss of steering on the tanker, which is under investigation by officials.
The lawsuit alleges that the collision occurred due to the negligence of the tanker and its operating companies, as stated by BBC and Fox News.
The Port of New Orleans is seeking more than $1 million in damages to cover cleanup, inspections, repairs, and other expenses, as reported by BBC and WISH-TV.
A federal judge has authorized the seizure of the tanker Atlantic Asphalt, as reported by WISH-TV and Fox Business.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans called for prayer as emergency responders raced to save dozens of passengers on the river boat, as reported by OSV News.
The lawsuit names the tanker, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and its management company as defendants, as reported by TMZ and WWD.
The Port of New Orleans spokesperson Kimberly Curth confirmed that the tanker hit the cruise boat at about 12:30 p.m. Local time outside 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, as reported by WWD.
Video from the scene showed the much larger Atlantic Asphalt tanker hitting the American Heritage cruise boat while it was docked, as reported by The Times-Tribune and WWD.
According to MarineTraffic data, the American Heritage had arrived from Natchez and docked in New Orleans at 16:53 UTC, as reported by WWD.
New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said all passengers aboard the American Heritage were accounted for, as reported by UPI.
What this adds
The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, with officials still assessing the full extent of the damage and the cause.
The Port of New Orleans has previously filed a lawsuit against the tanker and its management company, seeking more than $1 million in damages following the collision that sank the American Heritage.
Background
The Port of New Orleans has filed a lawsuit against the tanker M/V Atlantic Asphalt and its management company, Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd, after the vessel crashed into the docked cruise ship American Heritage on Friday.
A tanker collided with a cruise ship on the Mississippi River in New Orleans, prompting a search and rescue operation.
What's confirmed
- The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, but US Coast Guard Capt Melanie Burnham said: "There seems to be some type of a loss of steering."
- The American Heritage had been finishing an eight-day cruise calling at destinations in Louisiana and Mississippi along the waterway.
- Officials hailed it as a "miracle on the Mississippi".
- The tanker, the M/V Atlantic Asphalt, its owner Nave Shipping SA, and its management company, Thome Ship Management Pte Ltd, are all named in the federal court lawsuit filed on Friday in the Eastern District of Louisiana court.
- The Port of New Orleans is suing the owners and managers of a tanker that crashed into a cruise ship docked in New Orleans on Friday.
- Fox News correspondent Brooke Taylor has the latest on a lawsuit to seize and sell the tanker that crashed into a cruise ship by the Port of New Orleans on ‘Fox Report.’ The Port of New Orleans is seeking more than $1 million in damages after an asphalt tanker struck a docked river cruise ship on the Mississippi River, with a federal judge authorizing the tanker's seizure.
- The lawsuit, filed by the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans, said the Atlantic Asphalt tanker caused at least $1 million in damage to its terminal.
- In addition to the owners, the tanker's management and the ship itself are also listed as defendants in their federal suit... 4WWL reported.
- Friday, the tanker Atlantic Asphalt lost steering and slammed into the docked river cruise boat American Heritage as passengers were disembarking.
- Video from the scene showed the much larger Atlantic Asphalt tanker hit the American Heritage cruise boat while it was docked as metal and glass crashed and crunched.
- A US federal court has authorised the arrest of the tanker Atlantic Asphalt after the Port of New Orleans launched legal action seeking more than $1m in damages following the collision that sank American Cruise Lines’ American Heritage.
What's still developing
- The court documents added that the port terminal "was significantly damaged" in the incident.
- It alleges that the tanker and companies failed "to use all available means to avoid the risk" of colliding with the riverboat.
Sources
- BBClink
- CBS Newslink
- Fox Businesslink
- Fox Newslink
- Gcaptainlink
- KOKI FOX 23link
- NBC Newslink
- OSV Newslink
- Splash247link
- The Cumberland Times-Newslink
- The Guardianlink
- Thetimes-Tribunelink
- Tmzlink
- Wbrzlink
- Wishtvlink
- Wwdlink
- WDSU News — video link
- CNN — video link
- LiveNOW from FOX — video link
- CBS News — video link
- CBS News — video link
- WWLTV — video link