BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Responders completed cutting operations on the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck on Saturday.
Wreck removal personnel separated the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck into two sections on Saturday and they are preparing to lift and stow Section Five onto a dry-dock barge. Once the Section Five is removed, response engineers will prepare Section Four, the final remaining section, to be lifted and stowed onto the Barge JULIE B which left the Port of Mobile enroute to Brunswick, Ga. on Thursday. A dry-dock barge remains on-site as a contingency plan for stowing Section Four.
Pollution response teams remain on-station to monitor for any oil or debris present around the perimeter of the Environmental Protection Barrier. Shoreline survey teams continue routine assessments of Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island and marsh areas in the vicinity of the wreck site.
The VB-10000 prepares to shift with Section Five on Sunday into a position favorable for lifting operations after separating the remainder of the wreck into two sections on Saturday. St. Simons Sound Incident response video.
A pollution response team deploys a Current Buster as a precautionary measure on Sunday as the VB-10000 shifts Section Five into a favorable position for lifting operations. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
An Environmental Protection Barrier maintenance crew replaces sorbent boom arranged next to orange retention boom near Section Five on Friday. The retention boom connects between the pontoons of the VB-10000 to provide additional environmental protection when the vessel shifts with the section. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
The 150-yard safety zone around the EPB is increased to 200 yards for any non-response vessel not transiting inside the shipping channel. 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.
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 Golden Ray wreck removal and response operations.
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