LA PUSH  — A coordinated rescue effort involving the U.S. Coast Guard and Canadian counterparts prevented a tugboat from running aground off the Olympic Peninsula on Friday, according to the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest.

At approximately 4:10 p.m., the 130-foot tug “Luther” with five people aboard, reported a loss of steering 10 miles off La Push, while towing a barge. The vessel requested Coast Guard assistance as rough sea conditions posed increasing risks to both the crew and the barge.

Responders from U.S. Coast Guard Station Quillayute River, along with the emergency tug “Lauren Foss” arrived at the scene. A crew member from the Coast Guard was transferred to the LUTHER to assist, and the “Lauren Foss” initiated towing operations. However, the first towing attempt was unsuccessful when a tow line became fouled in one of the tug’s propellers, forcing the “Lauren Foss” to return to shore for repairs.

The situation was stabilized when the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Atlantic Raven, an ocean-going tug, joined the rescue effort alongside U.S. Coast Guard Station Neah Bay. The teams managed to secure a new tow and safely transport the “Luther” to Port Angeles, avoiding the risk of the vessel running aground.