Investigators detail moments before tanker hit New Orleans riverboat

A tanker lost steering control about two minutes before it struck a docked riverboat in New Orleans on Friday, federal investigators said Sunday. Their preliminary account described warning signals, radio calls for help and emergency orders issued before the collision.

The Atlantic Asphalt was traveling upriver near the Crescent City Connection Bridge at about 12:26 p.m. when its rudder stayed turned to the right, directing the tanker toward the Mississippi River’s east bank, said Bart Barnum, a senior marine accident investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board.

At about 12:28 p.m., the tanker hit the American Heritage, operated by American Cruise Lines. The riverboat overturned roughly 22 minutes later, according to information shared by the NTSB.

Investigators retrieved more than nine hours of data from the tanker’s voyage data recorder. It included bridge audio and information on rudder position, engine speed, course and velocity.

The recording captured sounds consistent with the tanker’s whistle, radio warnings and requests for assistance, as well as orders to drop anchors and other emergency commands, Barnum said.

Officials have called the incident a “steering casualty,” but stressed that the phrase does not explain what caused the problem. “It could be many different things. That is something that we are investigating very closely,” Barnum said.

NTSB board member John DeLeeuw said investigators have data on the tanker’s speed but are still reviewing it before making the information public. Video showed the anchors were lowered, though investigators are working to determine which anchors were used and how far they were deployed.

The collision prompted a large rescue operation. Officials said everyone aboard the American Heritage survived. About 100 people were pulled from the river, while responders evacuated more than 80 before the boat overturned, Port of New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said Saturday.

“This is a miracle. It is a literal miracle on the Mississippi,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Friday.

Eight people were still in hospital Saturday. Two were in serious condition, while the other six were stable, officials said.

The NTSB said 140 passengers and 50 crew members were aboard the riverboat, for a total of 190 people. Moreno said the American Heritage’s captain was injured but stayed aboard until passengers and crew had been accounted for. He was the last to leave the vessel.

“Every moment of the critical time [Friday], he did not want to leave his ship,” Moreno said Saturday.

Coast Guard Capt. Melanie Burnham said crews were preparing to remove 16,000 gallons of fuel before salvage work began. She warned that removing the overturned boat could take weeks. DeLeeuw said Sunday that divers had entered the water and that the Coast Guard and salvage companies were overseeing the operation.

Investigators began interviewing American Heritage crew members Sunday. Interviews with the Atlantic Asphalt crew were expected to start Monday and continue through the week, Barnum said.

The NTSB expects to issue a preliminary report in about 30 days. Sunday’s briefing was its final planned news conference at the scene, DeLeeuw said. Further updates will be posted online.