ST. SIMONS, Ga. — A swimming advisory is issued for St. Simons and Jekyll Island Beaches as a precaution against possible environmental impacts caused by an overturned cargo ship in the St. Simons Sound, according to a spokesperson with the Coastal Health District.
A water quality sampling will be done to "ensure the safety of the shellfish harvesting beds and swimming beaches," the spokesperson said.
The sampling will be done by the Coast Resources Division of the Department of Natural Resources.
The cargo ship, called The Golden Ray, was conducting a starboard turn to depart the harbor around 2 a.m. when it started listing over on the port side.
The 656-foot, 71,000-ton vehicle carrier vessel has a crew size of 24 people; 23 crew members and a pilot. Twenty of the 24 crew members have been safely rescued and looked over by medical personnel.
Photos from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources show fluid leaking from the ship.
The Coast Guard is working to stabilize the vessel so that the search for the four missing crew members can continue. Once the vessel has been stabilized, they will determine the best way to continue rescue operations.
All vessel traffic through the Port of Brunswick had been suspended unless approved through the USCG Captain of the Port.
At this time, there have been no reports of injuries and it is not yet known what led to the ship listing. The cause of the incident is still being investigated.
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