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U.S. NEWS Monday 9 SepteMber 2019
Georgia: Search on

for 4 missing after

cargo ship overturned

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. rescuers remained on the
(AP) — Rescuers scoured scene.
the Georgia coast on “They continue to do what
Sunday for four missing they can. It is a complex
crew members of a cargo situation. We’re looking not
ship that overturned and just for the safety to be able
caught fire, but the efforts to rescue the people that
ran into trouble amid the are on board, but also to
flames and instability of the be able to provide safety
ship, the U.S. Coast Guard for our crew. It’s ongoing,”
said. he said.
The Golden Ray cargo The Coast Guard said it
ship’s problems began ear- was notified by a 911 call
ly Sunday morning when it at about 2 a.m. Sunday
listed heavily and rolled on of a capsized vessel in the
its side in St. Simons Sound sound.
near the Port of Brunswick The cause of the incident
with 23 crew members and remains under investiga-
one pilot on board. tion. Petty Officer 3rd Class
Coast Guard Capt. John Ryan Dickinson said it isn’t Coast Guard crews and port partners respond to an overturned
Reed said 20 were safely clear if weather conditions cargo vessel with a fire on board Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in St.
Simons Sound, Ga.
evacuated from the ship caused the ship to lurch. Associated Press
before rescuers deter- Hurricane Dorian brushed
mined the situation, as past the Georgia coast last
smoke and flames ap- week before being down-
peared, was too risky to go graded to a post-tropical
further inside the vessel. The cyclone.
vessel was just offshore in The Coast Guard said the
view of beachgoers on the overturned ship hasn’t
shoreline. released any pollutants
Reed said rescue teams so far, but mitigation re-
Sunday were trying to sta- sponses are ready in case
bilize the 656-foot vehicle they’re needed.
carrier to continue their The Golden Ray, which the
search for the missing crew, Coast Guard said was trans-
but they have been un- porting cars, is flagged out
able to determine if the fire of the Marshall Islands and
has been extinguished. The was headed to Baltimore,
Coast Guard tweeted later according to the website
Sunday afternoon that one vesselfinder.com. The ship’s
of its groups, called the At- registered owner is a South
lantic Strike Team, was pre- Korean company.
paring to depart to the site The Port of Brunswick is
to assess what it called a currently closed to vessel
complex situation. traffic, with an established
“Once salvage profession- emergency safety zone in
als have determined the St. Simons Sound. Vessels
vessel to be stable, we will are not authorized within
identify the best option to a half mile of the Golden
continue our rescue ef- Ray.
forts for the four crew re- The port is one of the busi-
members who remain on est U.S. seaports for ship-
board,” Reed said at a ping automobiles. Nearly
news conference Sunday 614,000 vehicles and heavy
afternoon. machinery units moved
Search and rescue opera- across its docks in the 2019
tions involve federal, state fiscal year that ended June
and local agencies. Coast 30, according to the Geor-
Guard Lt. Lloyd Heflin said gia Ports Authority.q