American Heritage Captain, Crew and Tug Operators Hailed as Heroes After Mississippi River Capsizing

The captain and crew of the American Heritage, along with tugboat operators and first responders who rushed to the scene, are being hailed as heroes following Friday’s dramatic collision on the Mississippi River that left the river cruise ship capsized but everyone aboard alive.

American Cruise Lines singled out Captain Leonard Stewart, who remained on the bridge as the vessel overturned after being struck by the tanker Atlantic Asphalt at the Port of New Orleans on November 13.

“The fast actions of Captain Leonard Stewart and our crew allowed for a rapid evacuation of the vessel,” the company said in a statement Saturday.

“Captain Stewart remained on the bridge as the vessel capsized, calling for aid and keeping the ship alongside the dock for as long as possible.”

The collision occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time, just below the Crescent City Connection bridge. The impact caused the American Heritage to take on water and eventually roll onto its side, sending passengers and crew into the Mississippi River.

As the riverboat began to capsize, help arrived from nearly every direction.

Harbor tugs, towboats and other working vessels raced toward the scene, joining the U.S. Coast Guard, Port of New Orleans Harbor Police, New Orleans Fire Department and other emergency responders in a massive rescue operation.

AIS data and local reports showed crews from Moran Towing, Crescent Towing, Cooper Mooring, John W. Stone Oil Distributor and Canal Barge Co. responding within minutes of the collision.

Among the vessels identified near the scene were Moran’s Becky S, Crescent Towing’s Mardi Gras and G. Shelby Friedrichs, the E.N. Bisso tug Marauder, and several Stone Oil towboats, including Presager, Madison Stone, Stephanie Stone and Stone Power. Canal Barge’s Elly Lane was also among the vessels identified, along with the Port of New Orleans fireboat Gen. Roy S. Kelley.

While AIS positions alone do not establish the specific actions taken by every vessel, footage and accounts from the scene show working boats joining emergency craft in the rescue effort.

Captain Kenny Brown of The Maritime Throwdown praised the private-sector crews whose contributions can sometimes be overlooked amid the attention given to government emergency responders.

“When something goes wrong on the river, the first boats you usually see on scene are towboats and tugs,” Brown wrote. “Nobody calls them in. They’re already there, and they turn toward the trouble.”

Brown credited the captains, pilots and deckhands who maneuvered their vessels into position and helped with the response.

“To the captains who made the call, the pilots who held those boats steady, and the deckhands out on the deck with life rings and pike poles in hand: that’s courage, and the river saw it.”

The response was extraordinary in its speed and scale.

New Orleans Harbor Police Chief Melanie Montroll said 87 passengers and crew members were able to disembark before the American Heritage capsized. It then took approximately 30 to 45 minutes for rescuers to pull the remaining people from the river and account for everyone.

Mayor Helena Moreno described the outcome as a “miracle on the Mississippi,” crediting the coordinated efforts of government responders and nearby vessels that voluntarily joined the rescue.

All passengers and crew were accounted for, with no fatalities. Thirty-two people, including two Harbor Police officers, were transported to hospitals. Eight remained hospitalized as of Saturday, according to local officials.

American Cruise Lines thanked the Coast Guard, Port of New Orleans, New Orleans Police Department and other agencies involved in the response.

“We are proud of our crew and grateful for the first responders,” the company said, adding that it would continue cooperating with authorities through the investigation and salvage effort.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the collision, including reports that the Atlantic Asphalt may have experienced a steering failure before striking the docked riverboat. The cause has not been determined.

The American Heritage remains partially submerged alongside the riverfront, with salvage operations expected to take weeks.

For Brown, the incident also underscored the importance of maritime safety training, emergency drills and the ability to respond instinctively when seconds matter.

“Practice until it’s muscle memory,” he wrote. “You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall back on your training.”

The outcome in New Orleans was a reminder of the professionalism found across the maritime industry, from passenger vessel crews to the working mariners aboard the tugs and towboats that keep the Mississippi River moving.