BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Responders separated Section Three of the Golden Ray wreck and on-water response vessels mitigate an oil discharge in the vicinity of the wreck site on Thursday.
REMOVAL UPDATE
Wreck removal personnel completed cutting operations and separated Section Three from the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck on Thursday morning. The VB-10000 will shift forward to enable weight-shedding operations on the section. Weight-shedding is a multi-strategy approach which includes tactics such as vehicle and deck removal and using water streams to mitigate increased weight in the sections due to large accumulations of sediment. Once weight-shedding is complete, the VB-10000 will lift Section Three onto a dry-dock barge for transit to a response facility near Mayors Point Terminal.
Welding technicians continue to make repairs to the side plates of the lifting lugs for Sections Four, Five and Six on the topside of the Golden Ray wreck. Response engineers will reinspect the lugs using non-destructive testing once the repairs are complete.
Shoreline survey teams continue to recover debris from a fishing vessel that wrecked near Amelia Island, Fla. on June 9, 2021. Debris from this vessel has recently increased in volume and has washed ashore on Cumberland, Jekyll and St. Simons Island shorelines. Private citizens who observe material such as foam and wood are encouraged to leave it in place and notify the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
The 150-yard safety zone around the EPB is increased to 300 yards for recreational vessels through July 4, 2021. The Unified Command (UC) advises mariners to please steer clear of the perimeter to ensure the safety of our responders and the public.
“Safety on the water is always a concern for our personnel and for the community especially during holidays,” said U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. Efren Lopez, federal on-scene coordinator. “Everyday our operations demand a constant flow of response vessels around the wreck site especially when we separate a section of the wreck like today. Please continue to respect our safety zone around the wreck and we encourage boaters to operate safely. ”
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.
Aerial observers survey Section Three shortly after separation from the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response video.
The VB-10000 lifts Section Three of the Golden Ray wreck in preparation for weight-shedding operations on Thursday. Weight-shedding is a multi-strategy approach which includes tactics such as vehicle and deck removal and using water streams to mitigate increased weight in the sections due to large accumulations of sediment. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
Response vessels use a Current Buster to contain an oil discharge entraining outside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB) in a swift moving current after Section Three separated from the remainder of the Golden Ray wreck on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Response vessels deploy multiple oil mitigation tactics simultaneously to contain and mitigate an oil discharge in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck site on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response video.
A responder aboard an on-water response vessel recovers debris while additional response vessels use sorbent boom to mitigate very light oil sheens outside the Environmental Protection Barrier (EPB) on Thursday. Both the EPB and the response vessels form a multi-layer environmental protection system designed to mitigate any environmental impacts to nearby shorelines. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Responders recover a large piece of debris during routine mitigation operations in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck site on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
A shoreline survey team member recovers a large piece of foam from a wrecked fishing vessel at Gould’s Inlet on St. Simons Island on Monday. Responders continue to recover debris from a fishing vessel that wrecked near Amelia Island, Fla. on June 9, 2021. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Pollution response teams continue to mitigate an oil discharge in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck site after Section Three separated on Thursday. Responders are using an array of mitigation equipment from Current Busters and oil skimmers to sorbents. 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.
Shoreline survey teams continue to recover small pieces of debris related to the Golden Ray wreck removal from the shorelines of Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. 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. To learn more about the response debris program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – Debris Removal Operations
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 air monitoring 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.
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