On Monday, the Coast Guard honored the partner agencies who stepped in to help rescue the 23 crew members and then salvage the Golden Ray cargo ship -- a process that took more than two years.

The Coast Guard will host an award ceremony Monday morning to honor crew members for their response to the Golden Ray cargo ship that capsized back in 2019 near Brunswick.

Fishers, crabbers and other seafaring businesses, including airboat tour guides, have filed suit in federal court against the owner of the Golden Ray and the salvage company that dismantled the ship, claiming the environmental damage from the capsizing and salvage has wrecked their livelihoods.

A beloved lighthouse on the Georgia coast will be illuminated like a giant birthday candle to celebrate turning 150 years old.

Glynn County has filed a lawsuit in federal court against the owner of the Golden Ray, the company involved in the salvage of the capsized ship and others, claiming significant damage to the coastal environment and to the county’s economy.

State environmental regulators are proposing a $3 million fine for the Hyundai Glovis Co. logistics and shipping firm, the company behind the Golden Ray cargo ship that overturned in the St. Simons Sound two years ago.

Nearly two years after a 600-foot Korean car carrier overturned onto St. Simons Sound while sailing out of the Port of Brunswick, salvage crews completed the final cut on the last remaining piece of the shipwreck on Saturday.

Nearly two years after a 600-foot Korean car carrier overturned onto St. Simons Sound while sailing out of the Port of Brunswick, salvage crews are now cutting the final remaining piece of the shipwreck into two sections that will be hauled away for scrap.

A giant crane began Thursday slicing section six of the giant shipwreck that has laid on its side in St. Simons Sound for nearly two years.

The towering crane being used to saw apart an overturned cargo ship off St. Simons Sound has paused work for maintenance and repairs.

Salvage crews dismantling an overturned cargo ship along the coast of Georgia are adding explosives to their toolbox.

Crews have started cutting the next section of the Golden Ray, which capsized in the St. Simons Sound in September 2019.

The demolition of an overturned cargo ship in the St. Simons Sound is halfway done after a fourth section of the Golden Ray was sliced, separated and lifted from the wreck.

Salvage operations of the massive Golden Ray ship from St. Simons Sound continue as part of the response team concentrates on the environmental impact.

An Incident Response team member holds a piece of debris recovered from St. Simons Sound. “It’s a disappointingly slow pace.”AdSalvage experts decided more than a year ago that the Golden Ray, measuring 656 feet long, was too big to remove intact. A hydrographic survey vessel creating imagery of the seabed around the Golden Ray wreck. AdConservationists worry the longer the shipwreck stays in St. Simons Sound, the greater pollution threat it poses to the area's waterways, beaches and saltwater marshes. Paul Hankins oversaw planning for a smaller-scale demolition of the Golden Ray until his employer, Donjon-SMIT, lost the job to a competitor.

FILE - In this Sept. 9, 2019, file photo, a Moran tugboat nears the stern of the capsizing vessel Golden Ray near St. Simons Sound off the coast of Georgia. Both ends of the cargo ship have been cut away and carried off by barges in a pair of giant chunks. “It’s a disappointingly slow pace.”Salvage experts decided more than a year ago that the Golden Ray, measuring 656 feet (199 meters) long, was too big to remove intact. Crews spent the entire month of February attempting a third cut through the ship's engine room, a section fortified with thicker steel. Paul Hankins oversaw planning for a smaller-scale demolition of the Golden Ray until his employer, Donjon-SMIT, lost the job to a competitor.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Salvage crews are preparing to take a critical step in removing the wreckage from the Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound. Environmentalists are concerned because crews will soon sever the capsized cargo ship’s fuel line. Hundreds of vehicles are still aboard the vessel, which is why pieces of large debris are washing up along some beaches in the area. St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command plans on cutting through the fuel truck in the coming days, which environmentalists worry could end up releasing the largest amount of fuel into the St Simons Sound. Ad“We anticipate if there is that quantity of fuel that the large release will come when they lift the section versus cutting,” Sams said.

The next steps in the Golden Ray removal operations are underway. The stern is the next section of the ship to be cut and lifted out of the St. Simons Sound. Photos from St. Simons Sound Incident Response show divers preparing for the second cut and other equipment being prepared for rigging. The Stern is the next section of the ship to be cut and lifted out of the St. Simons Sound. To report oiled wildlife: 800-261-0980To report pollution: 800-424-8802To report debris: 912-944-5620We continue to document and clean up debris with members of Unified Command.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Gal. – Crews finished cutting the first of eight sections of the 656-foot Golden Ray on Saturday. “They must have hit something, because what it sounded like was bowling ball going down a metal staircase,” a St. Simons Sound resident said. (St. Simons Sound Incident Response)The grassroots organization, Altamaha Riverkeeper, also sent News4Jax video that shows equipment and other items falling from the wreck. Authorities are asking anyone who sees debris from the Golden Ray to report it to the debris reporting hotline, at 912-944-5620.

A few local waterways, including the St. Simons Sound, have made the 2020 “Dirty Dozen” list released by the Georgia Water Coalition. “It’s important to know that it doesn’t mean that it’s the most polluted area in Georgia. The request is simple: The Georgia Water Coalition wants a damage assessment done in the St. Simons Sound. READ: Georgia Water Coalition’s 2020 Dirty Dozen reportThis is the second year the St. Simons Sound has been on the “Dirty Dozen” list for the state of Georgia, but the Altamaha River has been on the list eight times, breaking a record. A pulp mill sits along the Altamaha River and, for years, there have been issues with color and odor seeping into the water, according to the Georgia Water Coalition.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – The removal of the Golden Ray, the overturned cargo ship in the St. Simons Sound, was temporarily delayed after a chain broke on Saturday while crews were trying to dismantle the 656-foot vessel loaded with vehicles. According to the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command, the VB-10000 heavy-lifting crane began cutting into the bow section of the ship at 11:30 a.m. on Friday. But just 25 hours into the operation, the cutting chain broke. Crews were able to retrieve and repair the broken link on the chain soon after. The vessel was supposed to be cut into eight pieces in a 7-day process, taking 24 hours for each cut.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – The Versabar 10,000 has finally arrived at the salvage operations of the Golden Ray, the overturned cargo ship in the St. Simons Sound. Crews will use the giant VB 10,000 to dismantle the Golden Ray into eight sections. More than 71 tons of equipment and inventory remains in the Golden Ray wreckage, which includes thousands of new vehicles. It will take a few days before the VB 10,000 will be positioned over the Golden Ray. The VB 10,000 weighs 7,500 tons and is the largest lift vessel ever built in the United States.

The heavy-lifting crane that has been sitting in the Port of Fernandina since early July is expected to make its way to the St. Simons Sound as early as Tuesday. Partly submerged and waiting to be dismantled, the next step in the Golden Ray removal operation is expected to happen this week, weather permitting. Responders will use the crane to cut the Golden Ray wreck into eight sections, which will then be placed onto barges. We’ve seen this for so long,” Long said. The Unified Command is telling boaters to steer clear of the environmental protection barrier that is set up around the wreck.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Two Georgia lawmakers said they’re growing increasingly concerned by the persistent setbacks that have plagued the Golden Ray salvage operation. The 656-foot cargo ship has been sitting on its side in the St. Simons Sound for more than a year. Engineers originally hoped to have the Golden Ray out of the St. Simons Sound before peak hurricane season, that didn’t happen because of storms and COVID-19. READ: Letter from Congressmen to Golden Ray Unified CommandCarter and Purdue are now demanding weekly updates from the Unified Command and detailed explanations for any delays. MORE: Follow all our coverage of the Golden Ray sagaThe latest update from Unified Command says crews are now installing pilings to secure the crane.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. – 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 Tuesday. Coast Guard Lt. Ian Oviatt testified that his analysis found no fault with the design of the South Korean-owned Golden Ray. “The cause of the vessel capsizing was lack of righting energy due to the way the vessel was loaded,” Oviatt said. But once the Golden Ray began to capsize, there was likely little they could do, said Jeffrey Falzarano, a professor of ocean engineering for Texas A&M University who also testified Tuesday. Blake Welborn, the Coast Guard officer leading the investigation.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. One year ago today the Golden Ray Cargo Ship carrying 4,2000 cars ran aground and overturned in the St. Simons Sound. A fire ignited and the race began to rescue 24 crew members who were aboard when the ship flipped. 35 hours later, the final crew members were rescued from the control room of the ship and amazingly, no serious injuries or deaths occurred. However, the 656-foot transport vessel is still sitting in the St. Simons Sound and the majority of the work is still ahead. A heavy lifting crane, called the VersaBar 10,000, will be used to lift the cargo ship, piece by piece until its ultimate removal.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Although cutting and lifting operations won’t begin until October, efforts to remove the capsized Golden Ray cargo ship are continuing, according to Unified Command. It’s been nearly a year since the Golden Ray capsized in the early morning of September 2019 in the St. Simons Sound. UC said it had to implement it s Heavy Weather Plan when Isaias threatened the Southeast Georgia coast, meaning equipment had to be moved and secured until the storm passed. We were prepared for Hurricane Isaias and are proud of the quick execution of our Heavy Weather Plan by our response personnel,” said Cmdr. The Unified Command said while hurricane season is a big concern, having the Golden Ray intact will minimize the impact to the St. Simons Sound.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Fla. The U.S. Coast Guard confirms that nine people directly involved with the removal operations of the cargo ship Golden Ray laying on its side in the St. Simons Sound have tested positive for COVID-19. Chief Petty Officer John Miller with the U.S. Coast Guard told News4Jax last week that this is an operational milestone that marks the beginning of the final phases of the response to the Golden Ray incident. Miller confirmed to the newspaper that Officials are testing crew members who were in contact with the nine who tested positive and they are now in quarantine. The Golden Ray is referred to as a RoRo a roll-on, roll-off shop so cars can be driven on and off. With nine members tested positive, this will delay in the removal operations by a couple of weeks, the Brunswick News reported.

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. The massive heavy-lifting crane that will remove the capsized vessel Golden Ray in Glynn County has arrived in the Port of Fernandina. It will remain in the Port of Fernandina until at least the end of next week before heading to the Golden Ray. Its going to be the engineering centerpiece of all of the technology and the ingenuity thats going to safely remove the Golden Ray, Miller said. The 255-foot gantry cranes will lift all eight sections of the Golden Ray out of the St. Simons Sound onto barges. Once the VB 10,000 arrives in St. Simons Sound, it will straddle the Golden Ray.

GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. The Unified Command is preparing to remove the Golden Ray cargo ship from the St. Simons Sound in Georgia, and News4Jax got an up-close look at the process Thursday. The 656-foot vessel has been sitting in the St. Simons Sound for nearly nine months after it overturned in early September. We know the environmental protection barrier is not going to be at 100 percent effective, so weve got a very robust response organization set up inside and outside, Witt said. The Unified Command said its prepared, should there be any delays. The Coast Guard says its investigation report will be released in September -- one year after the ship capsized.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. The St. Simons Sound Incident Response Unified Command is making strides in its mission to remove the Golden Ray ahead of the peak of hurricane season. Its a catamaran lift vessel coming in from Texas that will straddle the Golden Ray. Workers with the St. Simons Sound Incident Response install a 150-foot wide section of netting on the environmental protection barrier (EPB) surrounding the motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Georgia, May 29, 2020. The fourth of 28 sections of environmental protection barrier netting was installed by St. Simons Sound Incident Response workers around the motor vessel Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, Georgia, May 29, 2020. Crews were able to spend time on the ship to identify spots of concern on the Golden Ray.

Crews to install oil boom around Golden Ray in St. Simons SoundPublished: February 7, 2020, 6:24 pmAs the Golden Ray continues to sit in the St. Simons Sound, crews will install a large floating oil boom around the cargo ship to catch surface pollutants.

Boaters have been getting too close to the capsized Golden Ray in St. Simons Sound, officials said. The St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command sent a reminder Wednesday that the 150-yard safety zone around the vessel remains in effect "to protect the public and response crews." No one is authorized to enter the safety zone without approval of the U.S. Coast Guard or Unified Command response vessels on scene. "We understand that our restrictions affect this community and we appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work safely around the clock to prepare the wreck for removal," the response team said. Boaters outside the safety zone are asked to keep operating at slow, safe speeds near any salvage, shoreline or booming operations.

Unified Command response crews began to place rocks next to the hull of the Golden Ray to slow down erosion around the overturned vessel in the St. Simons Sound. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

St. SIMONS, Ga. – St. Simons Sound Response released new photos of the Golden Ray Friday that provided a first look inside the cargo ship since it overturned in the St. Simons Sound in early September. St. Simons Response Unified Command released laser image shows the interior of the fourth deck of the Golden Ray where a couple cars remain in relatively good shape, plastic still protecting the grills. Unified Command identified the next two pictures as the ninth deck where cars slid together when the ship overturned. St. Simons Response Unified Command released laser image shows another interior angle of the ninth deck of the Golden Ray where cars slid together when the ship overturned, some missing tires. The Unified Command said response crews stabilized the source of the smoke, but the cause is still unknown.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - For more than a month, the 656-foot vehicle transport vessel has been sitting on its side in the St. Simons Sound as response crews are working on a salvage plan. The Unified Command said on-water operations have resumed after a short pause earlier this week because of weather. The Unified Command says more than 220,000 gallons of fuel has been removed from the vessel. Response teams are also patrolling beaches in the area to recover any tar balls which have come ashore using proper safety equipment and appropriate tools. The Unified Command says more than 400 people and 70 vessels are currently responding to the incident.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - More than six miles of shoreline has been impacted by oil leaking from the Golden Ray in the St. Simons Sound, according to the Altamaha Riverkeeper. The Riverkeeper said it has taken samples from a 9-mile radius around the overturned ship on Wednesday. It said many areas have been saturated with oil from the low tide line up to the top of the Spartina grass. Due to the weather, the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command partially suspended operations earlier in the week. As of Monday, salvage workers had removed over 198,000 gallons of fuel from the Golden Ray.

ST. SIMONS SOUND, Ga. - Officials in Georgia are warning beachgoers they may find tar balls around St. Simons Sound, a month after crews began work to contain oil pollution from a capsized cargo ship. A dangerous removal operationA total of 300,000 gallons of fuel were aboard the Golden Ray when it listed and overturned last month. More than 136,000 gallons had been transported off the Golden Ray by Wednesday night, according to the Unified Command. The Unified Command said there was a leak from the vessel on Monday but it was plugged within a day. Fletcher Sams, executive director of Altamaha Riverkeeper, recorded video of tar balls on Jekyll Beach.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - New concerns have washed ashore after a cargo ship overturned in the St. Simons Sound. Salvage crews on the cargo ship in the St. Simons Sound sealed the leak that has caused fuel to spill into the water for nearly a month. Over 169,000 gallons of fuel have already been removed according to the latest update from the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command. Specialists will continue to actively monitor air and water quality around the vessel, Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. The district will continue to monitor water testing in the area and give an update once the water is clear for swimmers.

New concerns have washed ashore after a cargo ship overturned in the St. Simons Sound. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - The Georgia Department of Health is urging beachgoers, swimmers and fishers to stay alert on Jekyll and St. Simons islands. According to the St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command, a pollution discharge began Monday afternoon from the Golden Ray cargo ship that capsized last month. Theres a lot still going on inside the ship that we dont know or dont have eyes on yet, said Deputy Operations Section Chief Jessica Thornton, with the U.S. Coast Guard. Instead, call the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802. With help from the U.S. Coast Guard in Brunswick, News4Jax got a closer look at the Golden Ray that has been a sitting duck in the St. Simons Sound where it capsized shortly after leaving the Port of Brunswick last month.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. - Two weeks after the Golden Ray cargo ship carrying more than 4,000 vehicles from the Port of Brunswick capsized in the St. Simons Sound, even more fuel oil appears to be leaking from the ship. Prior to Friday's report, Unified Command issued a news release stating there was minimal or no environmental impact from the ship. Dezern, who runs a charter boat business, took News4Jax along the marshes 3 miles away from where the Golden Ray remains on its site. So far, there have been no advisories about swimming on St. Simons Island Beach or eating seafood caught in the area waters. Barge carrying crane working alongside the Golden Ray, which remains on its side in St. Simons Sound.

The St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command is made up of the U.S. Coast Guard, Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Gallagher Marine Systems. The Unified Command is working to target and mitigate shoreline pollution, as well as make a plan to remove pollutants from the vessel. The Incident Unified Command had a marine chemist out on Wednesday to monitor the air quality of the Golden Ray. The chemist is using specialized equipment tests for hazards as response crews are working in and around the vessel, according to the Incident Unified Command. The Incident Unified Command said response teams are assisting in operating skimming equipment used to collect oil inside the engines.

For nearly a month, a 656-foot vehicle transport vessel has been sitting overturned in the St. Simons Sound as response crews work on a salvage plan, as well as a strategy to safely remove fuel and... Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla - A closer look at the overturned Golden Ray cargo ship, which after two weeks is still in St. Simons Sound, reveals damage to the keel of the ship. On Tuesday, the News4Jax I-TEAM was able to get closer to the cargo ship than ever before, taking a small boat and coming to within 150 yards. "We know there was a buoy that actually went totally underneath the ship," Sullivan said. "The Emerald Ace was inbound, and the Golden Ray was outbound. RELATED: Coast Guard confirms oil from capsized ship on beaches, in marshesSullivan suspects improper stabilization was also a factor in the Golden Ray turning over.

A closer look at the overturned Golden Ray cargo ship, which after two weeks is still in St. Simons Sound, reveals damage to the keel of the ship. Copyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - On the 13th day since a cargo ship carrying more than 4,000 vehicles capsized in the St. Simons Sound, the St. Simons Sound Unified Command noted several areas of environmental impact from oil after an I-Team investigation. The command, which is responsible for salvaging the ship and protecting the environment, observed sporadic discharges from the Golden Ray. It was the oil sheen I-Team reporter Tarik Minor had manipulated with a paddle in the video. "What I'm seeing is not square with what the public is being told," Sams said. These questions were prompted by the News4Jax I-Team investigation.

Yet in recent days, several instances of possible pollution have been reported to the National Response Center. "I don't know where this slab of oil came from," Worthington said. Worthington reported the oil to the National Response Center, and she's not the only one documenting potential environmental hazards. "What I'm seeing is not square with what the public is being told," Sams said. "We are seeing sheening in the water that is far away from the ship.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - On the 13th day since a cargo ship carrying more than 4,000 vehicles capsized in the St. Simons Sound, the St. Simons Sound Unified Command noted several areas of environmental impact from oil in a press release. The command, which is responsible for salvaging the ship and protecting the environment, observed sporadic discharges from the Golden Ray. Unified Command is reminding residents that if you see oil, you should not touch it and you should report any sightings to 800-424-8802. Sams said both agencies told him they would test what he found, saying it was normal. "What I'm seeing is not square with what the public is being told," Sams said.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - A Jacksonville maritime attorney says there are three options that salvage teams will consider when it comes to removing the Golden Ray cargo ship, which overturned in the St. Simons Sound. Sullivan believes the parbuckling method, which was successful in righting the Costa Concordia in Italy, will work. During the process, the ship would be slowly lifted from its resting position before it's righted. RELATED: All 4 crew members trapped in capsized ship near Brunswick rescued | Coast Guard working to keep port, capsized cargo ship, safeSullivan said one of the challenges is the position of the Golden Ray. He said the reward, however, is worth the risk, and he believes the parbuckling method is the best option.

The Sky4 helicopter is flying over the scene of a capsized cargo ship off the coast of Brunswick. Three of four U.S. Coast Guard crew members have been rescued from the ship. Rescue efforts are underway to rescue the fourth person. CLICK PHOTO ABOVE TO WATCH LIVECopyright 2019 by WJXT News4Jax - All rights reserved.

Efforts ran into trouble amid the flames and instability of the ship, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Coast Guard Capt. Coast Guard Sector Charleston was notified by the Glynn County 911 dispatch that the 656-foot ship had capsized in St. Simons Sound. While the Coast Guard is the primary agency dealing with the rescue effort, Glynn County first responders are helping where possible. Several Coast Guard units are involved in the rescue operation including: 2 Coast Guard Station Brunswick response boat crews 2 Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews Coast Guard Cutter Heron launched to assist Coast Guard Sector Charleston Marine Safety Unit Savannah Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response TeamThe Port of Brunswick is one of the busiest U.S. seaports for shipping automobiles.

The Coast Guard and port partners are searching for four crew members aboard a capsized cargo ship that caught fire Sunday morning in St. Simons Sound, Brunswick, Georgia.

BRUNSWICK, Ga. - The Coast Guard and port partners are searching for four crew members aboard a capsized cargo ship that caught fire Sunday morning in St. Simons Sound, Brunswick, Georgia. The vessel is leaning heavily in the St. Simons Sound, according to the Coast Guard. They issued an urgent marine broadcast and directed the launch of multiple Coast Guard assets. Several Coast Guard units are involved in the rescue operation including: Two Coast Guard Station Brunswick Response Boat crews Two Coast Guard Air Station Savannah MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crews Coast Guard Cutter Heron launched to assist Coast Guard Sector Charleston Marine Safety Unit Savannah Coast Guard Salvage Engineering Response TeamThe U.S. Coast Guard said the Golden Ray is stranded near the mouth of Fancy Bluff Creek. While the Coast Guard is the primary agency dealing with the rescue effort, Glynn County first responders are helping where possible.

The Coast Guard and port partners are searching for four crew members aboard a capsized cargo ship that caught fire Sunday morning in St. Simons Sound, Brunswick, Georgia.