Incident replaySt. Simons Sound, near Brunswick, GeorgiaSources checked 6 Sept 2026

Golden Ray: capsize, rescue and wreck removal

Golden Ray capsized while leaving Brunswick on 8 September 2019. Everyone aboard was rescued, including four engineers trapped until the next day. The wreck was removed in sections, with the final section taken away in October 2021.[2][4]

Follow the timeline What happened afterwardOriginal sources (7)

Last documented outcome

As of 26 Oct 2021

Final wreck section removed

The response team completed wreck removal on 25 October 2021. Earlier that year, the NTSB had identified incorrect stability calculations as the probable cause of the capsize. Wreck removal does not by itself establish environmental recovery.[5][3]

The sequence of events

7 dated reports · 8 Sept 2019 to 26 Oct 2021
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Vessel capsizes during an outbound turn

Golden Ray heeled rapidly to port while turning to starboard in St. Simons Sound. Water entered through an open pilot door and open watertight doors; the vessel settled on its port side.

NOAA approximate casualty area

Reported points only. No inferred track. Playback advances every 5 seconds.

Milestone 1 of 7: 8 Sept 2019. Vessel capsizes during an outbound turn. NOAA approximate casualty area

  1. Vessel capsizes during an outbound turn

    Golden Ray heeled rapidly to port while turning to starboard in St. Simons Sound. Water entered through an open pilot door and open watertight doors; the vessel settled on its port side.

    NOAA approximate casualty area (31.130°, -81.413°)

    NTSBNOAA IncidentNews

  2. Four trapped engineers are rescued

    After the pilot and 19 crew members had been rescued, four engineers remained inside. Responders cut into the hull to reach them the following evening.

    NTSB

  3. Warning closes the port entrance

    NAVAREA IV 800/2019 reports the capsize and closes the entrance to St. Simons Sound to all commercial traffic until further notice.

    NGA · archived warning

  4. Commercial traffic resumes beside the wreck

    NAVAREA IV 810/2019 reopens the entrance to commercial traffic, requesting a half-mile berth around Golden Ray. It cancels the earlier closure warning while still reporting the ship capsized: warning cancellation did not mean the wreck had been removed.

    NGA · archived warning

  5. NTSB explains the stability failure

    The NTSB reported that incorrect ballast entries in the stability program left the vessel with insufficient resistance to the heeling forces of the turn. It also identified inadequate company procedures for verifying stability.

    NTSB

  6. Final wreck section leaves the site

    Responders placed the final section on a transport barge and moved it to a local facility for partial dismantling. Further transport to a Louisiana recycling facility was planned.

    U.S. Coast Guard / DVIDS

  7. Response team marks wreck-removal completion

    At a briefing beside the final section, the response team confirmed that wreck removal had been completed the previous day.

    U.S. Coast Guard / DVIDS

Details in the record

People aboard
23 crew members and one pilot; all rescued[3]
Serious injuries
Two crew members[2]
Cargo loss
More than 4,100 vehicles[3]

Reading this account

The map identifies NOAA's approximate casualty area, not a wreck that remains there today. The reviewed removal records describe the wreck-removal phase; they do not provide a final assessment of longer-term environmental effects.

A warning being cancelled does not establish that a vessel was recovered or a hazard disappeared. The outcome above comes from the cited follow-up reports.

Original sources

Account checked 6 Sept 2026. Follow-up is reviewed from these sources; this is not a live incident feed.

  1. 1.St. Simons Sound incident ↗NOAA IncidentNews
  2. 2.Capsizing of roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier Golden Ray ↗NTSB
  3. 3.Inaccurate stability calculations caused Golden Ray capsize ↗NTSB · 14 Sept 2021
  4. 4.Final section of the Golden Ray wreck stowed and transported ↗U.S. Coast Guard / DVIDS · 6 Dec 2021
  5. 5.Golden Ray wreck-removal completion briefing, 26 October 2021 ↗U.S. Coast Guard / DVIDS · 10 Jan 2022
  6. 6.NAVAREA4-800/2019 — original port-closure warning ↗NGA · archived warning · 10 Sept 2019
  7. 7.NAVAREA4-810/2019 — original reopening and cancellation warning ↗NGA · archived warning · 13 Sept 2019

Related records in our archive

Original source text, preserved separately from this account.

NOAAORR-9962 NOAA response record
St. Simons Sound Incident; Brunswick, GA 31323, USA.
Brunswick, GA 31323, USA.
1. On September 8, 2019, the USCG contacted the NOAA SSC to report a RORO vessel, the Golden Ray had capsized off Brunswick, Georgia. The vessel was on fire. USCG was conducting rescue operations. NOAA will provide an initial trajectory analysis and Resources at Risk report. The NWS is providing spot forecasts for the incident.
2. THREAT: OIL. COMMODITY: FUEL OI, DIESEL, GASOLINE, LUBE OILS. TAGS: GROUNDING, MARINE DEBRIS.
3. POSITION 31.130N 081.413W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 9962: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/9962
Open record and warning history →
NAVAREA IV 800/19 Navigational warning
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
GEORGIA.
1. M/V GOLDEN RAY CAPSIZED IN 31-07-40N 081-24-11W
   ON 08 SEP.
2. ENTRANCE TO ST SIMONS SOUND (BRUNSWICK, GA)
   IS CLOSED TO ALL COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC
   UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
3. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT USCG AT 912 652 4353.
Open record and warning history →
NAVAREA IV 810/19 Navigational warning
WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC.
GEORGIA.
1. M/V GOLDEN RAY CAPSIZED IN 31-07-40N 081-24-11W
   ON 08 SEP.
2. ENTRANCE TO ST SIMONS SOUND (BRUNSWICK, GA)
   IS OPEN TO ALL COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC, HALF MILE
   BERTH REQUESTED ON M/V GOLDEN RAY.
3. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT USCG AT 912 652 4353.
4. CANCEL NAVAREA IV 800/19.
Open record and warning history →

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