Tugboat sprays capsized car carrier to stabilize white smoke seen issuing from vessel
White smoke was yesterday reported coming from the capsized car carrier Golden Ray, which remains on its side in St.Stephen’s Sound, Georgia.
By afternoon the Unified Command responding to the situation (USCG, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Gallagher Marine Systems) said that its response crews had stabilized the source of the white smoke on board the ship and would continue to closely monitor the situation throughout the evening with a safety boat and a tugboat equipped with firefighting equipment. Air monitoring around the vessel and in the community has shown no signs of impact.
The established 150-yard safety zone around the Golden Ray remains in effect and commercial traffic has not been affected by this incident. The cause of the smoke is unknown at this time.
Maritime experts engaged in the response have determined that it is not possible to safely right and refloat the vessel in a fully intact condition. Consequently, Unified Command is developing plans to remove all of the Golden Ray’s hull, components, and cargo by disassembling the vessel in place.
