Published 15 November 2026 · Times in Central Standard Time (CST, UTC minus 6) with UTC alongside
On 13 November 2026 the tanker ATLANTIC ASPHALT was upbound on the Mississippi at New Orleans. News reports say she struck the river cruise vessel AMERICAN HERITAGE, moored at the riverfront, around 12:28 to 12:29 local time. Gangway AIS recorded both vessels, down to the second.
News reports say the riverboat rolled over and 32 people were taken to hospital. All are reported accounted for. Our thoughts are with everyone hurt and with their families. The NTSB is investigating. This page draws no conclusion on the cause.
Replay of the AIS reports from about 12:11 to 12:47 local time, 1 minute 48 seconds, no sound. Hulls drawn to AIS length and beam at each vessel's reported position and heading. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenMapTiles. Not for navigation. Download the video (MP4, 1920 x 1080, 56 MB).
Her AIS name is sent as P/V AMERICAN HERITAG, cut to the 20 characters AIS allows.
Each row is one AIS report as Gangway AIS received it, at the vessel's own AIS time stamp. Distance is from ATLANTIC ASPHALT's antenna to the riverboat's moored antenna position. From 12:26 the rows are second by second, decoded from the raw AIS messages.
| Local UTC | Speed | Heading | Distance | What the report shows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00:0318:00:03 | 9.0 kn | 300° | ATLANTIC ASPHALT upbound below Algiers Point, under way. | |
| 12:16:2418:16:24 | 11.2 kn | 289° | Approaching Algiers Point. | |
| 12:18:3318:18:33 | 10.8 kn | 260° | Turning to port round Algiers Point. | |
| 12:20:1018:20:10 | 10.8 kn | 233° | Still turning to port. | |
| 12:22:1418:22:14 | 9.3 kn | 175° | Round the point, heading south towards the Crescent City Connection bridges. | |
| 12:23:1518:23:15 | 10.1 kn | 175° | Steady on 175°. | |
| 12:26:0518:26:05 | 11.1 kn | 175° | Steady on 175°, speed 11.1 kn. Her rate of turn field reads not turning. | |
| 12:26:1518:26:15 | 11.1 kn | 177° | First report with the rate of turn field "turning to starboard, more than 5° per 30 seconds". It reads the same in every report until 12:28:40. | |
| 12:27:0418:27:04 | 9.9 kn | 214° | Heading has swung 39° to starboard in one minute. | |
| 12:28:0518:28:05 | 6.7 kn | 273° | Heading 273°, speed falling. | |
| 12:28:1718:28:17 | 5.8 kn | 285° | Still swinging to starboard. | |
| 12:28:2018:28:20 | 5.6 kn | 288° | Contact comes between this report and the next. | |
| 12:28:2418:28:24 | 3.9 kn | 290° | Speed down 1.7 kn in 4 seconds. By the AIS positions her bow is at the riverboat from this report on. | |
| 12:28:2718:28:27 | 2.3 kn | 292° | Speed still falling fast. | |
| 12:28:4018:28:40 | 0.8 kn | 296° | Last report with the rate of turn field "turning to starboard". | |
| 12:29:0518:29:05 | 0.2 kn | 298° | Speed over the ground 0.2 kn. Her antenna 125 m from the riverboat's. | |
| 12:29:2918:29:29 | 0.4 kn | 180° | First report from AMERICAN HERITAGE since 11:17:38, status moored. Position unchanged by more than a few metres. | |
| 12:30:0418:30:04 | 0.4 kn | 293° | ATLANTIC ASPHALT nearly stopped. | |
| 12:47:3018:47:30 | 0.2 kn | 177° | Last report Gangway AIS received from AMERICAN HERITAGE that day. | |
| 12:50:2318:50:23 | 0.1 kn | 198° | ATLANTIC ASPHALT between 0.1 and 0.5 kn since 12:29, heading turning slowly from 298° to 198°. |
Speed is speed over the ground. Heading is the vessel's reported heading. Shaded rows are the turn and the contact. On a phone the distance column is hidden.
Between reports the replay draws each vessel on a straight line from one report to the next. Positions and times are as received, with no correction.
Recorded by a Gangway AIS receiving station in New Orleans.
News organisations may use the video and the timeline free of charge with the credit "Gangway AIS". The recording was also offered to the investigators. Questions to desk@gangwayais.com
Replay together comes with the paid plans.
AIS data can be late, missing or wrong. Not for navigation. Page dated 15 November 2026.
More: Historical AIS data · Tankers · All ports
Gangway AIS is built and run by Motto Marine International. Write to desk@gangwayais.com