Golden Ray shipwreck cuts on hold following fire, Unified Command says

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — On Monday morning crews hauled away the VB-10,000, the ship they used to access the Golden Ray to make cuts to remove the vessel.

Petty Officer Michael Himes with the Unified Command tells Action News Jax there’s no telling when crews will resume cutting again, as all the focus is now turned to assessing the fire damage of the Golden Ray.

Himes says about 350 crew members who’d been working the removal and cutting process are now working the fire’s aftermath, making sure the ship is structurally safe following the damage.

Altamaha Riverkeeper’s Sue Inman feels for the crews.

“The fire was a really tough spot they were put in, fires have always been at the forefront of everybody’s safety with this project,” she said.

But she raised concerns about how timely the response to the fire was.

“The main fire suppression entity took an hour and a half to get on site. That was a big delay.”

With the cutting process in limbo, Inman isn’t seeing any light at the end of the tunnel.

“Large section removal was sold to be a faster, more efficient removal process, and that’s hard to see right now, that’s really hard to see.”

PHOTOS: Golden Ray catches fire in St. Simons Sound

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Golden Ray catches fire | Friday, May 14, 2021 (@rin_richardson)

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