Responders finished cutting and lifting Section One (the bow) of the wreck of the Golden Ray.
“This is our first major milestone in the removal operation. We validated the overall removal method while we continue to refine our strategies to increase the efficiency of the next six cuts” said Commander Efren Lopez, U.S. Coast Guard Federal On-Scene Coordinator. “Responders on the shore and on the water have vigilantly kept watch for and responded to any environmental impacts. We encourage the public to continue reporting any debris they encounter through the Debris Reporting Hotline and online form.”
Preparations for the second cut have begun. The wreck will be removed in a total of eight sections.
Responders lift Section One of the Golden Ray wreck using ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene slings that are as strong as steel at a fraction of the weight. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
After separating Section One from the remaining wreck, the VB-10000 moved slowly and smoothly inside the EPB to a predetermined position for the Barge JULIE B transit underneath to receive the section. The wreck is surrounded by an environmental protection barrier with netting to the seafloor designed to catch large debris for removal. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
The Barge JULIE B transits underneath Section One of the Golden Ray wreck. Response engineers accounted for approximately 6,000mt of load which includes the dry weight and projected sediment contained within the section during the lift. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Section One transits St. Simons Sound on the Barge JULIE B to a local site on the East River for sea-fastening. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
