BCFerries crew are being credited with rescuing a tugboat Jan. 20. “The Captain on the Quadra Queen II was
contacted for assistance by a tug that had lost power near the Port McNeill terminal,” said Deborah Marshall,
executive director, public affairs with BCFerries. “Our vessel launched their rescue boat to provide assistance.
The tug company had another one of their tugs come and assist, so our rescue boat was stood down,” said
Marshall. “We’re always happy to render assistance to other boats if we can. Our crews are highly trained and
conduct a variety of emergency drills and we’re proud of their actions today,” she said. Port McNeill resident
Alan Jorgenson, who lives on Broughton Boulevard, watched the dramatic events unfold from his
window. Jorgenson was looking out when he saw “a little tug with a red dot off the front of it.” He grabbed his
binoculars and “I saw this Zodiac trying to pull this tug.” “It was held off of the rocks on Ledge Point by the Ferry
crew in the Zodiac,” he said. As Jorgenson watched, the tug was then hooked onto one of the tugs that service
the (Orca Sand & Gravel) gravel ships and then hooked onto by a second tug that towed it into Port
McNeill. “There were three vessels involved in the rescue,” said Jorgenson. The big red tug that is assisting it
“was taking spray over the bow. That’s how rough it is out there right now,” he said as he watched. “People ask
if I ever get tired of looking at the water,” Jorgenson said, to which he responds “no because it is always
changing. It never looks the same.”
