On November 13, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. today, the Atlantic Asphalt tanker collided with American Cruise Lines' American Heritage while the paddlewheel riverboat (formerly Queen of the Mississippi) was docked on the Mississippi River near the Crescent City Connection. Approximately 129 passengers, in addition to crew members, were aboard, and the ship had arrived about two hours earlier to let passengers off. The impact caused the riverboat to capsize on its side, taking on water.

Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew members and first responders affected today. If you or a family member was aboard, your first priority should be medical care, even for injuries that seem minor at first. If you can, keep your ticket, boarding documents, photos, and the names of anyone you spoke with at the scene.

Injury claims arising on the water are governed by federal maritime law, which works differently from an ordinary accident claim. Cruise ticket contracts often contain provisions that can shape a case before it begins. Those include notice and filing deadlines much shorter than the usual time limits for injury claims, forum-selection clauses that dictate where a lawsuit must be filed, and arbitration clauses. Some tickets require private arbitration instead of court litigation, and crew members' employment contracts commonly include mandatory arbitration. Arbitration has its own rules, fees and procedures, so it matters to work with attorneys who have handled maritime arbitration as well as courtroom litigation. If you have questions about your rights after today's collision, Martzell, Bickford & Centola offers free consultations at 504-581-9065.