According to The Brunswick News report, the car carrier Golden Ray was grounded after the pilot aboard, Captain Jonathan Tennant, deliberately took it out of the channel and contributed to the best possible outcome for the incident.
Captain John Cameron, a spokesman of the Brunswick Bar Harbor Pilots’ Association, stated that he believes Tennant’s mannerisms would have contributed to the best possible outcome for the incident and that he is proud of Tennant’s leadership during the rescue of the crew.
Moreover, the Executive Director of Georgia Ports Authority, Griff Lynch, congratulated Tennant’s action to take the stricken vessel out of the channel, at a Brunswick State of the Port address on Wednesday, October 2. Moreover, Lynch also thanked the U.S. Coast Guard, Brunswick Bar Pilots’ Association and port workers for their efforts thank all those involved in the rescue and salvage operations.
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Lynch said that “The Coast Guard and our Brunswick maritime community came together in an impressive display of teamwork, focused first on the safety of the crew, and now on protecting the natural environment and the safety of vessel operations”.
Brian Kemp, the Georgia Gov., said Norm Witt, the U.S. Coast Guard Cmdr. of the Marine Safety Unit in Savannah, Captain John Reed and all Coast Guard, tugs, maritime engineers and emergency responders are to be congratulated for the quick rescue of the ship’s crew and river pilot, and for their continuing work to restore normal operations of the Coast Guard.
Kemp further noted that
We all felt tremendous relief as the last sailor was brought to safety. Now that the mission has shifted to recovery, we appreciate the Coast Guard’s efforts to accommodate river traffic while salvagers work to right the vessel and clear the channel. The Port of Brunswick is an important asset to Georgia, supporting employment across an array of industries.
The vessel capsized on September 8, with 20 rescued crewmembers and four more missing. Yet, the four missing crew were rescued and then the authorities proceeded to an oil spill response, as oil leak was seen from the capsized vessel.
