As the vehicle carrier ‘Golden Ray’ capsized in St. Simons Sound, Brunswick, Georgia, four of its crewmembers went missing; Thus, the USCG, along with the help of the vessel’s master and the chief engineer, are conducting search and rescue operations to stabilize the vessel and find the remaining crew.
Specifically, according to USCG’s statement, 20 people were rescued from the vessel, called ‘Golden Ray’ on Sunday, September 8. At about 2 a.m. Coast Guard Sector Charleston watchstanders were informed by the Glynn County 911 dispatch that the Golden Ray capsized.
For the rescue operations, the USCG is using two Coast Guard Station Brunswick Response Boat crews, two Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews, Coast Guard Cutter Heron, Coast Guard Sector Charleston, Marine Safety Unit Savannah and Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response Team. In the meantime, the Coast Guard has additional assistance by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Moran Towing, SeaTow, Brunswick Bar Pilots Association and the Glynn County Fire Department.
The USCG alerts that vessels are to not sail within 0.5 miles of the Golden Ray. The Marshall Islands registered vessel was built in 2017.
For the time being, the factor that caused the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.
Vessels capsizing are a striking phenomenon that shocks the shipping industry; Recently, the UK MAIB published a timeline of the key accidents for year 2018, recording a total of 1,227 accidents to UK vessels or in UK coastal waters.
