BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Cutting operations to separate Section Six of the Golden Ray wreck commenced on Thursday.
REMOVAL UPDATE
Wreck removal personnel began cutting operations to separate Section Six from the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck on Thursday. Once separated, the section will be lifted and stowed onto a dry-dock barge for transit to a response facility south of Mayor’s Point Terminal in Brunswick, Ga.
A debris removal crew removed 46 vehicles and 2 moveable decks from areas adjacent to the wreck inside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB). The debris is stowed on a barge and will be off-loaded and trucked to local auto recycling facilities.
Three sections of the wreck remain inside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB).
The VB-10000 cycles the cutting apparatus on Thursday during cutting operations to separate Section Six from the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Wreck removal personnel cycle the cutting chain into a pre-cut groove along the cutline between Section Six and Section Five on Tuesday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Debris removal operations continue inside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB) on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
A crane operator recovers a moveable deck during debris removal operations inside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB) on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
The 150-yard safety zone around the EPB is increased to 200 yards for recreational vessels. The Unified Command (UC) advises mariners to please steer clear of the perimeter to ensure the safety of our responders and the public. Any unauthorized usage of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs) around the wreck site and near response facilities is discouraged due to safety. UAVs are distractions that can lead to near misses, mishaps and injuries. Responders will report any sightings of drones and drone operators to local authorities.
ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
Aerial observers survey the Golden Ray wreck site for any environmental impacts on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Survey teams assessed 125 miles of shoreline on foot and by vessel this week. They continue to recover debris along shorelines and from marsh areas in the vicinity of the wreck site. All debris is sorted, catalogued and disposed of according to the response debris plan. If you encounter what you believe is debris from the Golden Ray wreck, please do not handle the debris. Call the Debris Reporting Hotline at (912) 944-5620. Responders evaluate each report, survey the vicinity and recover any shipwreck debris in addition to their daily surveys of the water and the shoreline.
Responders observed and mitigated very light oil sheens occasionally in the vicinity of the wreck site. Survey teams recovered a few oil globules during routine shoreline surveys. If you encounter residual oil on the shoreline or in the water, please call the National Response Center hotline at (800) 424-8802.
For current beach and fishing safety information, please visit the Georgia Coast Health District website at the Georgia Coast Health District website.
On-water response teams maintain a 24-hour watch around the Golden Ray and they deploy pre-staged equipment and personnel to mitigate any oil discharges, sheens and debris observed. Natural Resource Advisors continue to monitor areas around the wreck site and the Environmental Protection Barrier for any wildlife activity or impacts. To learn more about the response on-water oil recovery program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – On-Water Oil Recovery Operations
Safety personnel continue to measure air quality in the community using stationary and mobile air monitoring equipment. Community air quality analysis and water sample analysis continues to confirm no exceedances of air and water quality standards. To learn more about the Air and Water quality monitoring program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – Air and Water Quality Monitoring
The Unified Command (UC) developed a multi-layer approach for observing, surveying, documenting and mitigating any releases of oil or debris during cutting and lifting operations. Recovery personnel are on-station at the Environmental Protection Barrier, at the shoreline and on the water around the Golden Ray shipwreck. Responders are maintaining protective boom at sensitive locations around St. Simons Sound.
The St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command is the official source of information for the motor vessel Golden Ray response operations.
For more updates, please subscribe for email alerts at https://www.stsimonssoundincidentresponse.com/subscribe
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