WASHINGTON — U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy suffered a significant engineering casualty while operating northwest of Port Angeles, Washington, the Coast Guard announced July 24. No injuries were reported.

Tugboats safely towed Healy back to its homeport on July 13. The vessel will undergo a formal investigation and major repairs.

“The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Healy acted with speed and skill in responding to this casualty,” Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Kevin E. Lunday said.

Lunday said the incident highlights the need to accelerate the construction and delivery of a modern U.S. icebreaker fleet to protect the nation’s security, economic and strategic interests in the Arctic.

Despite Healy’s temporary removal from service, the Coast Guard said its Arctic operations are continuing. CGC Storis, commissioned in August 2025, remains on patrol in the region.

The Coast Guard also reported that CGC Munro recently monitored two Chinese research vessels traveling north through the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and over the U.S. Extended Continental Shelf in the Bering Sea. The monitoring was conducted as part of Operation Frontier Sentinel, an initiative intended to protect U.S. sovereign rights, support compliance with international law and enable a rapid response to potentially harmful activity.

Coast Guard officials said activity in the U.S. Arctic has increased in recent years and is expected to remain elevated during the summer.

Using $25 billion provided under recently approved federal legislation, the Coast Guard plans to acquire nearly $15 billion in new assets and capabilities, including icebreakers. The investment includes the Arctic Security Cutter program, which is intended to improve Arctic access, protect strategic shipping lanes and resources, and strengthen the U.S. presence in the region.

The Coast Guard said it will release additional information about the incident and Healy’s repair status as it becomes available.