(CNN) -- A giant freighter disabled in frigid seas near Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands could encounter waves as high as 26 feet as rescuers tow it Sunday.
The 738-foot Golden Seas suffered engine problems Friday morning and was chugging along at only 3 knots (3.5 mph). On Saturday night, the Tor Viking II vessel reached the Golden Seas and began towing it toward Dutch Harbor, U.S. Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Dana Warr said.
The journey -- which stretches about 275 miles -- is expected to take 30 hours.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley is expected to meet the two vessels on Sunday morning, according to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation.
The 20-member crew and rescue officials were concerned about it running aground on Atka Island, but weather conditions have improved, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
The Golden Seas was about 40 miles north of the island on Saturday night. Winds were expected to reach about 40 knots (46 mph) on Sunday.
"The safety of the crew is paramount. At the current time they are not in any danger," Jeremy Michels, responsible party incident commander, said in a teleconference.
The Golden Seas is carrying canola seed used for making canola oil as well as more than 450,000 gallons of crude oil, 11,700 gallons of diesel and 10,000 gallons of lube oil on board, officials said.
The vessel, owned by the Greek company Allseas Marine, was traveling from Vancouver, British Columbia, to the United Arab Emirates.
The towing operation will be challenging because of high seas, officials have said. If all goes as planned, the Golden Seas could reach port on Monday.
The Golden Seas encountered waves as high as 29 feet on Friday, the Coast Guard said.
Helicopters aided the effort to keep the freighter from drifting southeast and running aground on Atka, part of the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea.
Gary Folley of the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said the state and Coast Guard are conducting a risk assessment of rescue operations in the region. The study will include a look at possible funding to add more rescue tugs on the islands. CNN
