Public Advised of Possible Oil Impacts on Jekyll & St. Simons Islands

GLYNN COUNTY, GA – Swimmers and fishers should remain alert for possible oil impacts in the water and shoreline around Jekyll and St. Simons Islands.

Oil was released into the water Thursday during cutting and removal of a section of the Golden Ray, a capsized ship in the St. Simons Sound. According to the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command, response teams are watching the shoreline 24-hours a day so they can quickly remove any oily substances that reach the shore.

If you are swimming and see a sheen of oil on the surface of the water, get out of the water and report the sheen to the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802. Do not swim or fish in an area with a visible oil sheen.

If you step on a tar ball or get oil on your skin, wash off the oil with soap and clean water. There is no need to use harsh detergents, solvents, or other chemicals to wash oil from skin or clothing – these could be harmful to you.

Additionally, shoreline survey teams continue to recover small pieces of debris related to the Golden Ray wreck removal. If you encounter what you believe is debris from the Golden Ray wreck, please do not handle the debris. Call the Debris Reporting Hotline at (912) 944-5620.

For additional information about today’s operations, visit the response website at https://www.stsimonssoundincidentresponse.com/post/section-three-cut-complete.