U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards Successfully Avert Tugboat Disaster Near Washington

A combined team of U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian Coast Guard successfully prevented a tug named Luther from going aground off La Push, Washington in challenging weather conditions. Luther, towing a concrete barge, lost steering about 10 miles off the coast of La Push on Friday. The crew contacted the Coast Guard for assistance, prompting a response from Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, and the emergency response tug Lauren Foss. The crew of Luther attempted to keep their vessel stable in rough seas using twin-screw propulsion but eventually started taking on water.

As the situation worsened, the crew disconnected from their tow to stabilize the tug while awaiting help. The Lauren Foss arrived to tow Luther to safety, but a drifting barge posed a collision risk, leading crew members to transfer to a motor lifeboat for safety. Despite heavy swells causing one individual to fall overboard during the transfer, they were safely retrieved. With the Luther drifting towards shore, a coastguardsman was put back aboard to assist with towing, though a line fouling in the Lauren Foss’ props forced a return to port.

The Canadian Coast Guard’s emergency response tug Atlantic Raven, along with additional U.S. Coast Guard assets, assisted in setting up a tow to keep Luther from grounding near the beach. The Luther was eventually towed safely to Port Angeles with no injuries to the crew. The missing barge, carrying cement mix and diesel fuel, was located on Saturday evening, prompting operations to tow it to a safe harbor. The Atlantic Raven, a high-capacity anchor handling tug, played a crucial role in managing the risk of a major casualty off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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