St. Simon's Island, Georgia - A local St. Simon's resident reported that the Golden Ray wreck caught fire approximately 1:00 PM Eastern time today.
Photos provided by the resident show smoke billowing from the wreck while a Casino boat cruises past.
Additional photos show a Shrimp Boat sailing close by the burning capsized hulk.
Media outlets are reporting the fire may have started as a result of cutting torches and the presence of cars and residual automotive fuel within the wreck. At the time the ship capsized, it was carrying an estimate 4,200 automobiles. Many of course have been removed as the result of prior cutting and section removal operations.
The cranes pictured with the capsized wreck are special equipment utilized to cut the enormous cargo ship into removable pieces.
A September 22, 2020 Associated Press article indicated: A U.S. Coast Guard analysis found that a cargo ship overturned after departing a Georgia seaport because of unstable loading that left its center of gravity too high, making the vessel susceptible to rolling over, an expert told officials investigating the shipwreck...
Coast Guard Lt. Ian Oviatt testified that his analysis found no fault with the design of the South Korean-owned Golden Ray. He said the ship lacked enough water in its ballast tanks, used to add weight at the bottom of a vessel, to offset that of 4,200 vehicles in its cargo decks above.
The automobile transport ship which capsized in September 2019 continues to be a long and dramatic story for St. Simon's Island.