A tanker struck the docked river cruise ship American Heritage on the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Friday, November 13, sending it listing and then capsizing. Everyone aboard was rescued, but 32 people were taken to hospital.

The collision happened at about 12:30 p.m. local time, according to Port NOLA information cited by Newsbomb. The American Heritage was at the riverfront as passengers prepared to disembark when the tanker Atlantic Asphalt hit it. The passenger vessel quickly took on water and rolled onto its side, with part of the ship submerged.

Officials said no one died and no one was reported missing. The 32 people taken to hospitals were not in life-threatening or critical condition, according to accounts from officials cited by several outlets. Search-and-rescue operations later ended.

Reports differ on how many were aboard

The number of people on the American Heritage has not been established consistently in the reports. Newsweek said nearly 200 people were aboard; Politika reported 197 passengers; and Ad-hoc News put the total at 195 people. Newsbomb gave different figures in its account: one section said 129 passengers and crew, while a quoted passage put the number aboard at between 180 and 190.

Accounts also differ on who was among the injured. Newsweek reported that 30 cruise passengers and two crew members were hospitalized. Politika said two port-police officers involved in the rescue were among the injured. The reports do not clarify whether those descriptions overlap.

A witness quoted by Swiss outlet Watson said 15 minutes passed between the impact and the ship capsizing. Newsbomb reported that vessel traffic was temporarily suspended on part of the river during the response.

Cause remains under investigation

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno said the tanker had lost control before the collision. Melanie Burnham, the US Coast Guard commander in New Orleans, said a preliminary investigation indicated that the tanker lost steering control. Authorities have not announced a final cause and are continuing to investigate.

US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said a serious technical problem was likely. He suggested the tanker might have hit a bridge before the collision, setting off a chain reaction; that possibility has not been confirmed. The investigation is expected to establish what caused the tanker to hit the docked vessel.