India, Nov. 14 -- NEW ORLEANS - Emergency responders scrambled to the Mississippi River on Friday afternoon after a large oil tanker collided with a docked river cruise ship, causing the passenger vessel to list heavily and plunging multiple people into the water outside the Port of New Orleans.

The violent maritime collision occurred around 12:30 p.m. local time when the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker Atlantic Asphalt struck the American Cruise Lines vessel American Heritage, which was safely moored near the Crescent City Connection.

Approximately 129 passengers and crew members were aboard the riverboat, having docked hours earlier to allow travellers to disembark for afternoon excursions.

The impact tore into the vessel's structure...