When the spotter in the overhead helicopter saw the thick black formation stretching large across the surface of the St. Simons Sound, an alert immediately went out to crews on the water below.
The spotter reported the location of a cloud of heavy oil drifting swiftly from the shipwrecked Golden Ray as salvors lifted the vessel’s severed stern section from the water Monday morning.
kAm%92E 2=6CE >@3:=:K65 2? :>>65:2E6 C6DA@?D6 7C@> E96 7=@E:==2 @7 G6DD6=D 2C>65 7@C ;FDE DF49 2? 6>6C86?4J] %H@ 3@2ED DA:C:E65 :?E@ A=246 29625 @7 E96 @FE8@:?8 @:= 3=@3[ E@H:?8 6:E96C 6?5 @7 2? :?7=2E23=6 4FCC6?E 3FDE6C]k^Am
kAm%96 3@2ED =2E4965 @? E@ 6:E96C 6?5 @7 E96 '\D92A65 4C27E 2?5 >@G65 :?E@ A@D:E:@? E@ 42E49 E96 @:=J 5:D492C86 2D :E 7=@H65 :? E96 DH:7E @FE8@:?8 E:56] (:E9 E96 EH@ 3@2ED <66A:?8 E96 4FCC6?E 3FDE6C DAC625[ E96 @:= D=:4< 7=@H65 E@ E96 2A6I :? 324< 2?5 H2D 4@==64E65 7@C C6>@G2=]k^Am
kAmp=:8?65 :? DEC2E68:4 7@C>2E:@? FA@? E96 AC6G2:=:?8 E:56D[ ?F>6C@FD @E96C 3@2ED DE@@5 C625J ?62C3J E@ 42E49 =62<:?8 @:= H:E9 23D@C36?E 3@@>D[ 4@?E2:?>6?E 3@@>D 2?5 @:=\D<:>>:?8 56G:46D]k^Am
kAm%9:D 2?5 D:>:=2C D46?2C:@D :?G@=G:?8 962GJ @:= 5:D492C86D H6C6 C6A62E65 >2?J E:>6D E9C@F89@FE E96 52J |@?52J] %96 @A6C2E:@? 92D >@C6 E92? b_ G6DD6=D @FE7:EE65 7@C 255C6DD:?8 @:= A@==FE:@?[ 2== 4C6H65 H:E9 7@=<D EC2:?65 7@C E96 E2D<]k^Am
kAmp? 25565 AC642FE:@?[ E96 D9:AHC64< :D DFCC@F?565 3J 2 `\>:=6 A6C:>6E6C 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@? 32CC:6C] %96 32CC:6C 92D >6D9 ?6EE:?8 36=@H E@ 42E49 =@@D6 G69:4=6D 2?5 @E96C =2C86 563C:D 2?5 @:= 4@?E2:?>6?E 3@@> =:?:?8 :ED DFC7246]k^Am
kAm“(6 D2H =:89E D966? :? E96 62C=J >@C?:?8 W|@?52JX[” D2:5 &]$] r@2DE vF2C5D>2? |:4926= w:>6D[ DA@<6D>2? 7@C &?:7:65 r@>>2?5] “%96? H6 DE2CE65 E@ D66 5:D492C86D] p?5 H96? E96D6 5:D492C86D 92AA6?[ E96J’C6 :?E6?D6 2?5 72DE\>@G:?8] %92E’D H9J H6 92G6 @FC A6@A=6 @FE E96C6 H:E9 E96 C:89E 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 E96 C:89E D42=6 @7 C6DA@?D6]”k^Am
kAm“%92E’D 9@H 72DE :E 42? 92AA6? :? E96 D@F?5[” w:>6D 25565] “qJ E96 6?5 @7 E96 52J[ @FC @G6C7=:89ED 5:5 ?@E D9@H 2?J 5:D492C86D] (92E H6’G6 366? A=2??:?8 7@C :D H92E H6 D2H @? |@?52J]”k^Am
kAm$FD2? x?>2? @7 E96 p=E2>292 #:G6C<66A6C 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C? E92E E96 E24E:4D >:89E ?@E 36 DF77:4:6?E E@ 4@>32E 2 =2C86C @:= 5:D492C86 :? E96 D@F?5]k^Am
kAm“%96 677:424J @7 7=@2E:?8 3@@> DEC2E68J 92D 366? 2?5 4@?E:?F6D E@ 36 =6DD E92? :562= :? E96 $E] $:>@?D $@F?5[” D96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 v@=56? #2J 925 2 42C8@ @7 c[a__ G69:4=6D @?3@2C5 H96? :E 42AD:K65 :? E96 $E $:>@?D $@F?5 H9:=6 9625:?8 @FE E@ D62 @? $6AE] g[ a_`h] %96 D9:AHC64<[ ?@H >:DD:?8 :ED 3@H 2?5 DE6C?[ H:== F?56C8@ 7:G6 >@C6 4FED 367@C6 E96 >@?DEC@D:EJ :D C6>@G65 7C@> E96 D@F?5]k^Am
kAm%96 EH:?\9F==65 'q[`___ 4C2?6 G6DD6= 4@>A=6E65 E96 H66<=@?8 677@CE E@ D6G6C E96 DE6C? D64E:@? 7C@> E96 92=7\DF3>6C865 D9:AHC64< $2EFC52J] %96 'q `_[___ DEC255=65 E96 D9:AHC64< 2?5 2AA=:65 :ED DJDE6> @7 H:?496D[ =:7E:?8 3=@4<D 2?5 AF==6JD E@ 2? 2?49@C 492:? E92E E@C6 E9C@F89 E96 D9:AHC64<’D 6IE6C:@C 2?5 `a :?E6C:@C 564<D 3J D966C 7@C46 @7 E6?D:@?]k^Am
kAm&?:7:65 r@>>2?5 ?@E65 :? yF?6 E96 D2=G286 AC@46DD H@F=5 AC@5F46 @:= =62<D] &?:7:65 r@>>2?5 4@?D:DED @7 E96 r@2DE vF2C5[ E96 v6@C8:2 s6A2CE>6?E @7 }2EFC2= #6D@FC46D 2?5 v2==2896C |2C:?6 $JDE6>D] xE :D C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 6?DFC:?8 E92E E96 D2=G286 @A6C2E:@? 2596C6D E@ 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@? CF=6D 6DE23=:D965 3J E96 7656C2= ~:= !@==FE:@? p4E @7 `hh_]k^Am
kAmr@2DE vF2C5 @77:4:2=D :?:E:2==J 6DE:>2E65 E96 v@=56? #2J’D 7F6= E2?<D 96=5 D@>6 bg_[___ 82==@?D @7 @:=] %96C6 H2D 2 D:8?:7:42?E 5:D492C86 @7 @:= 7C@> E96 D9:A’D 9F== G6?ED D9@CE=J 27E6C E96 HC64<] $@>6 ad >:=6D @7 >2CD9 8C2DD6D 2?5 D9@C6=:?6 H6C6 @:=65 :? =2E6 $6AE6>36C 2?5 62C=J ~4E@36C @7 a_`h 2D 2 C6DF=E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ s}#] $2=G@CD E96? AF>A65 D@>6 ba_[___ 82==@?D @7 @:= 7C@> E96 D9:AHC64<’D E2?<D @G6C E96 ?6IE D6G6C2= >@?E9D]k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ D2=G@CD 7@F?5 :E :>A@DD:3=6 E@ C6249 E9@FD2?5D 2?5 E9@FD2?5D @7 82==@?D @7 @:= :?D:56 E96 A:A6=:?6D E92E 4@??64E E96 E2?<D E@ E96 6?8:?6D[ w:>6D D2:5]k^Am
kAm%96 D9:A’D 6?8:?6 2?5 6?8:?6 C@@> 2C6 =@42E65 :? H92E :D ?@H E96 C62C>@DE D64E:@? @7 E96 D9:AHC64<[ w:>6D D2:5] q642FD6 E96 DE6C? D64E:@? :D D@ 4=@D6 E@ E96 6?8:?6 C@@> 2?5 6?8:?6D[ D2=G@CD 2?5 4=62?FA 4C6HD 2?E:4:A2E65 @:= 5:D492C86D]k^Am
kAm“sF6 E@ E9:D 4FE’D AC@I:>:EJ E@ E96 6?8:?6 C@@>[ H6 6IA64E65 E@ 6?4@F?E6C C6D:5F2= @:= 2?5 A6EC@=6F> AC@5F4ED :?D:56 E2?<D[ A:A:?8 2?5 >249:?6CJ H9:49 4@F=5 ?@E 36 2446DD65 :? E96 7F6= C6>@G2= A92D6 @7 E96 C6DA@?D6[” D2:5 v2==2896C |2C:?6 $JDE6>D’ r9C:D vC277[ 2? :?4:56?E 4@>>2?56C H:E9 &?:7:65 r@>>2?5] “%96 C6DA@?D6 E62> H2D 7F==J AC6A2C65 2?5 :? A@D:E:@? E@ C6DA@?5 E9C@F89@FE E96 6?E:C6 4FE 2?5 =:7E]”k^Am
kAmpE =62DE 92=7 2 5@K6? G69:4=6D EF>3=65 :?E@ E96 H2E6C 7C@> E96 6IA@D65 564<D @7 E96 DE6C? D64E:@? 5FC:?8 |@?52J’D =:7E:?8 A92D6] p A:646 @7 =@25:?8 C2>A 2=D@ 76== @77]k^Am
kAm}F>6C@FD G69:4=6D 76== 7C@> E96 3@H D64E:@? 5FC:?8 :ED =:7E:?8 :? }@G6>36C] p D64E:@? @7 =@25:?8 C2>A 76== 7C@> E96 3@H 2=D@]k^Am
kAm%96 =@@D6 G69:4=6D 2?5 @E96C =2C86 563C:D C6>2:? H:E9:? E96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@? 32CC:6C[ w:>6D D2:5] p== H:== 6G6?EF2==J 36 A=F4<65 7C@> E96 H2E6C 3J 4C2?6D[ 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm%@ >2<6 C@@> 7@C E96 cdd\g 32C86 D@ E92E :E H:== 7:E 36?62E9 :E |@?52J[ E96 'q `_[___ 925 E@ G6?EFC6 92=7H2J @FE @7 E96 @A6? 82E6 @? E96 H6DE D:56 @7 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@? 32CC:6C]k^Am
kAm“%96 5:DE2?46 ?66565 7C@> E96 HC64< >62?E E92E E96 'q `_[___ 925 E@ 36 A@D:E:@?65 92=7H2J @FE @7 E96 t!q D@ E96 DE6C? D64E:@? 4@F=5 36 C646:G65 :? E96 46?E6C @7 E96 32C86[” w:>6D D2:5] “$@ 72C[ @FC DFCG6JD 92G6 ?@E 7@F?5 2?J =2C86 563C:D @FED:56 E96 t!q] %96 5:D492C86D 2C6 E96 >2:? 4@?46C? 7@C FD C:89E ?@H]”k^Am
kAm~C:8:?2==J[ D2=G@CD 925 A=2??65 E@ >@G6 E96 'q `_[___ 7@CH2C5 @? E96 D9:AHC64< E@ 4FE @77 E96 7@C6>@DE D64E:@?] }@H[ w:>6D D2:5 E96J 2C6 H6:89:?8 E96 @AE:@? @7 4FEE:?8 E96 C62C>@DE D64E:@? ?6IE] %9:D :D E96 D64E:@? E92E 4@?E2:?D E96 D9:A’D 6?8:?6D 2?5 E96 @:= A:A6D E92E 7665 :E]k^Am
kAm%96 368:??:?8 @7 E96 ?6IE 4FE H:== 36 AC646565 3J 2 E:>6 @7 AC6A2C2E:@?[ >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 :?DA64E:@?D @? E96 'q `_[___[ w:>6D D2:5]k^Am
kAmx?>2? D2:5 D96 9@A6D E96 E:>6 @7 AC6A2C2E:@? H:== 2=D@ 36 DA6?E :>AC@G:?8 :ED C6DA@?D6 E@ @:= A@==FE:@?] %96 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 25G@424J 8C@FA 6DE:>2E6D 36EH66? cc[___ 2?5 e_[___ 82==@? @7 962GJ @:= >2J DE:== C6>2:? :?D:56 E96 D9:AHC64<]k^Am
kAm“%9:D C6=2E:G6=J D>2==6C C6=62D6 H:== 9@A67F==J 2==@H &?:7:65 r@>>2?5 E@ 25;FDE C6D@FC46D E@ 36EE6C AC@E64E E96 2C62[” D2:5 x?>2?[ 4@2DE<66A6C 7@C E96 p=E2>292 #:G6C<66A6C]k^Am