A dramatic maritime rescue took place off the coast of La Push, Washington, on Friday, October 18th, 2024, as U.S. Coast Guard and commercial tug crews worked urgently to prevent the 130-foot tug LUTHER from running aground after it lost steering in stormy seas. At approximately 4:10 p.m. the tug…
Articles Posted in Tugboat
Tug, Barge, and Towboat Hazards
Employment aboard a tugboat carries inherent risks, emphasizing the crucial role tugboat owners play in maximizing crew safety and assuming financial liability in case of crew injuries. Regrettably, many tug and barge companies neglect these obligations. However, Federal Maritime law offers unique protection for crew members who sustain injuries while…
Pacific Titan Crew Member Medevaced after Head Injury
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau command center received a call on March 21st at approximately 3:40 p.m. from the captain of the towing vessel PACIFIC TITAN. It was reported that during a towing operation, a 30-year-old crewmember had sustained a head injury. The vessel was located near Pennock Island,…
Tagish Tugboat Recovery Mission
The U.S. Coast Guard has successfully recovered a partially submerged tugboat that was located at the National Guard Dock in Gastineau Channel, Alaska. In late December of 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau was notified after an oil sheen was discovered. Working together, the city of Juneau, the U.S.…
U.S. Coast Guard Rescues 7 from Disabled Tug
On Saturday January 14th, 2022, The U.S. Coast Guard rescued seven people after a 1,000-foot towing line snapped and the tug they were piloting became disabled. The incident happened about 30 miles off the coast of Ocean City, Maryland at approximately 3:30 a.m. Crew members aboard the tug LEGACY were…
Stacey & Jacobsen PLLC Secures $11,401,000 Verdict Against Tidewater Barge Lines Inc. for Injured Jones Act Deck Mechanic
The team at Stacey & Jacobsen PLLC was honored to help an injured Jones Act deck mechanic in a recent two-week trial in Portland, Oregon. All three attorneys, Jim Jacobsen, Joe Stacey, and Nigel Stacey presented evidence to the jury while fighting for a hardworking family man who can no…
Seattle Foss Maritime Shipyard Permanently Closed
The Seattle Foss shipyard located at 660 West Ewing Street in North Queen Anne, has permanently closed, and all operations have ceased. The 115 displaced shipyard employees will continue to receive salary and benefits and an average of overtime wages until the end of 2021, according to the company. This…
Diesel Fuel Spill on Duwamish River
The US Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology responded to a fuel spill in Seattle on the West Waterway of the Duwamish River after a tug and barge collided. The incident occurred at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, Ecology and the National Response Center were…
Tugboat Samson Mariner Runs Aground
The Coast Guard, working in partnership with several other agencies, continues to respond to the tugboat SAMSON MARINER that ran aground near Rosa Reef in north Tongass Narrows, Alaska. Approximately 1,100 gallons of fuel was spilled before the breach could be patched by Alaska Commercial Divers. The official report by…
Tugboat Sinks in Columbia River
The Oregon State Department of Environmental Quality and the US Coast Guard responded to an 82-foot sunken tug at 8:49pm on the evening of Sunday, September 25th. The Earnest, a wooden-hulled vessel, sank on the Columbia River in Goble, OR. The incident was reported via the National Response Center. Divers…