Coast Guard Rescues 5 from Tug Luther After Loss of Steering

A dramatic maritime rescue took place off the coast of La Push, Washington, on Friday, October 18^th, 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 LUTHER was towing a loaded cement barge when the vessel suffered a steering malfunction 10 miles offshore. The crew immediately sent a distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We’re getting our butts kicked,” the LUTHER captain can be heard saying over the radio as crews fought to save the vessel amid the harsh conditions. Readers can listen to the distress call at U.S. Coast Guard.

A 47-foot Motor Lifeboat (MLB) from U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, along with an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria, and the emergency tug LAUREN FOSS were quickly dispatched to assist. The crew made a quick decision to detach the tug from its tow which allowed the vessel to stay afloat while waiting for assistance.

Complications arose during the rescue operation as LAUREN FOSS prepared to tow the LUTHER. The now-adrift barge drifted dangerously close to the tug, raising fears of a collision. In response to the escalating situation, the five crew members aboard the LUTHER were evacuated to a U.S. Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat (MLB). During the transfer, one crew member fell overboard but was pulled from the water by the U. S. Coast Guard crew.

Efforts to tow the LUTHER were further complicated when a tow line became entangled in one of the LAUREN FOSS propellers, forcing the tug to return to shore for repairs. With the first failed tow attempt, additional support was brought in, including the Canadian Coast Guard vessel ATLANTIC RAVEN and personnel from U.S. Coast Guard stations at Neah Bay and Air Station Port Angeles.

Despite the LUTHER drifting within just a mile of the shore, the combined efforts of the rescue teams ultimately prevented the tug from running aground, and the LUTHER was towed to Port Angeles. Weather conditions at the time of the rescue were 10 to 14-foot seas and winds of up to 45 knots.

Authorities are now collaborating with partner agencies, including the Canadian Coast Guard, to locate the missing barge, which remains adrift.