Press Releases

U.S. Representative Earl L. “Buddy” Carter welcomed the final report of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on the capsizing of the roll-on/roll-off vehicle carrier Golden Ray near the Port of Brunswick in September 2019, saying it highlighted the work of those involved in the initial response.
 
“This report underscores how lucky we are to have had Captain Jonathan Tennant on board that night,” said Carter.  “Without his swift action and that of the first responders from the U.S. Coast Guard and Brunswick’s maritime community, it’s clear the capsizing of the Golden Ray could have had an even more devastating impact on life, the environment, and our economy. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I won’t miss seeing the ship’s wreckage, but I’ll always be proud of the way the Golden Isles stepped up to respond.”
 
The report found the ship capsized due to calculation errors of the ship’s chief officer.  Additionally, the rescue and recovery were complicated due to watertight doors being left open after the vessel left port.