The cargo ship that mysteriously capsized off the coast of Georgia in September with thousands of cars on board is still there and now leaking an 'unknown' amount of oil
Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
A cargo ship owned by Hyundai Glovis, Hyundai motor's ocean freight logistics company, capsized and caught fire early Sunday morning.
The cargo ship was carrying about 4,000 Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors cars, according to Reuters, the state of which has not been determined.
All 24 crew members that were on board were rescued alive.
The cargo ship will likely have to be disassembled to be removed, but in the meantime, it has been leaking oil into the surrounding marshes.
A cargo ship carrying about 4,000 cars capsized and caught fire in September in St. Simons Sound off the coast of Brunswick, Georgia, according to NPR.
The cargo ship was the 656-foot vehicle carrier Golden Ray which can carry up to 6,933 cars. It's owned by Hyundai Glovis, according to Reuters and the roughly 4,000 cars on the cargo ship are Hyundai and Kia vehicles that were slated for import.
There were 24 people on board, 23 crew members and one pilot. Of the rescued, 20 were initially safely removed from the boat according to the US Coast Guard. The remaining four were later rescued, all alive and in "relatively good condition," according to the Associated Press.
Before being extracted, the rescue team was communicating with the trapped crew members through a hole the rescuers drilled and taps, according to CBS.
"We are making rescue of crew members as our top priority. After that we will investigate any damage on cargo," a Hyundai Glovis official told Reuters.
The cause is still under investigation and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring the coastal environmental conditions following the capsizing. However, a month since its overturning, the cargo ship still hasn't been removed and has since started leaking oil into the surrounding marshes, NPR reported.
The cargo ship Golden Ray capsized and caught fire last month in St. Simons Sound off the coast of Brunswick, Georgia, roughly 80 miles south of Savannah, Georgia.
Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
The ship listed a full 90 degrees, according to CBS News.
Coastal Resources Division - Georgia DNR
The 656-foot vehicle carrier Golden Ray is owned and operated by Hyundai Glovis, Hyundai Motor's ocean freight logistics division.
Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
The ship was carrying about 4,000 Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors vehicles, the fate of which has not yet been determined.
Coastal Resources Division - Georgia DNR
“We are making rescue of crew members as our top priority. After that we will investigate any damage on cargo,” a Hyundai Glovis official told Reuters.
Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
The Golden Ray has the capacity to carry 6,933 vehicles.
Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press
The ship was headed to Baltimore up the coast from Jacksonville, Florida.
U.S. Coast Guard/Associated Press
There were 24 people on board, 23 crew members and one pilot. Everyone has been rescued alive.
U.S. Coast Guard/Associated Press
Before being rescued, the rescue team was communicating with the trapped crew members through a hole the rescuers' drilled, according to CBS.
U.S. Coast Guard/Associated Press
The cause of the capsizing is still under investigation and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring the coastal environmental conditions following the capsizing.
U.S. Coast Guard/Associated Press
The company thanked the Coast Guard in a statement, and said it would work on "mitigating damage to property and the environment."
Coastal Resources Division - Georgia DNR
A joint recovery team between the state of Georgia, the Coast Guard, and Hyundai's contractor, Gallagher Marine Systems, has since been tasked with pumping the approximately 300,000 gallons of fuel and oil out of the ship's tank, NPR reported.
U.S. Coast Guard/Handout via Reuters
So far, they have removed roughly 220,000 gallons.
Source: NPR
Despite these efforts, the Golden Ray has been leaking an "unknown" amount of fuel. Oil sheens have been found in the surrounding waters on the beaches and marshes.
Steve Helber/Associated Press
The crew has been trying to mitigate the spill spreading by setting up containment booms, spraying oil absorbents onto the marshes, and removing oiled dead grass.
Steve Helber/Associated Press
Salvage crew members have also been monitoring the air and water quality and toxicity inside the ship to predict possible further contamination. The cargo ship will likely have to be dissembled in order to be removed.
Sean Rayford/Getty Images
