A dramatic rescue unfolded off the coast of La Push, Washington, on Friday as the Coast Guard and commercial tug crews raced against time to save the 130-foot tug Luther from running aground after it lost steering in rough seas.
What began as a routine tow nearly turned disastrous after the Luther lost steering and drifted to within just a mile of shore before being rescued in challenging conditions, with seas of 10–14 feet and winds reaching 45 knots.
At approximately 4:10 p.m., the commercial tug Luther, towing a loaded cement barge, experienced steering failure 10 miles offshore and called for U.S. Coast Guard assistance.
Responding to the distress signal, a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) crew from Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, and the emergency tug Lauren Foss were dispatched to assist.
“We’re getting our butts kicked,” the captain of the Luther was heard saying over the radio.
As conditions worsened, the Luther began taking on water, forcing the crew to disconnect from the barge to stabilize the tug. With the Luther adrift, the responding tug Lauren Foss prepared to establish a tow. However, this effort was complicated when the barge drifted dangerously close to the disabled tug, threatening a collision.
In response, all five crew members aboard the Luther were safely transferred to the 47-foot MLB.
During the transfer, one crew member fell into the water but was swiftly retrieved by the MLB crew without injury. Despite the severe weather, a crew member was later transferred back onto the Luther to assist with the tow.
The tow operation faced further challenges when a line fouled one of the Lauren Foss’s propellers, forcing it to return to shore.
As the situation grew more urgent, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Atlantic Raven, an ocean-going tug, arrived on scene, along with Coast Guard Station Neah Bay and assets from Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles.
Working together, the crews successfully established a tow and prevented the Luther from running aground, stopping it just one mile from shore.
Meanwhile, the barge, which had drifted away during the incident and at one point was missing, was located by the U.S. and Canadian Coast Guards a few hours later.
Meanwhile, the Luther was safely towed to Port Angeles with no reported injuries. Fortunately, no pollution was observed, and efforts were underway to tow the barge to safe harbor.
It’s not even November, and already strong Pacific storms are wreaking havoc on shipping. Last week, the Pan Viva became beset in a powerful storm and had to take shelter off Unalaska, Alaska, where it waited out the harsh weather before getting back underway.