While the mission to rescue the four people trapped inside a partly submerged cargo ship continued, nearby fishermen were also concerned about potential pollution.
What appeared to be an oily sheen could be seen floating on top of the water at Jekyll Island on Monday morning.
FCN spoke to Lt. Kit Pace with the U.S. Coast Guard who says pollution is a high priority for them.
Pace said while his department can’t confirm that the oil sheen seen at Jekyll Island is specifically coming from the nearby cargo ship, there is a fuel spillage happening. Pace says it's on their radar and something they’re actively working to contain.
Unfortunately, Coast Guard teams haven't determined where the source of the fuel that’s leaking is coming from. Pace says that’s still under investigation.
In the meantime, Pace says they’re using equipment called booms to protect pollutants from entering Bird Island, and u-shaped booms at the front and back of the capsized ship to catch the sheen.
Booms are essentially underwater and surface-level fences that help prevent oil from flowing across the water.
Although the problem isn't a huge cause of concern for the Coast Guard while they work to rescue the trapped crewmen, fishermen we spoke with at Jekyll island say it’s got them concerned about the marine life.
"On a busy day we have at least 100 people out here, everybody's got fishing poles," said fisherman Christopher Hickox. "If not one, they’ve got five. If there was an oil spill right here, it would be devastating for the simple fact that it's an island, we have our oyster beds, we have sea turtle life, it would affect it all."
Pace says environmental response specialists have been monitoring the situation. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, specialized Coast Guard Units, the GA Department of Natural resources, and specialists within Glynn County are all supporting the environmental efforts.
The Altamaha Riverkeeper Jen Hilburn says she and the Coast Riverkeeper are out investigating 14 or 15 places that have been reported as having oil sheen, and in some instances, joined black oil in the water as a result of the capsized cargo ship.
They expect to be finished investigating the places they have access to by the end of Monday.