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Debris leaks out as crews saw up stranded cargo ship on Georgia coast

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Debris is washing up from a cargo ship stranded on the Georgia coast as a salvage team cuts it into chunks.

The leaks are not unexpected as salvagers demolish the Golden Ray, which overturned in St. Simons Sound while carrying 4,200 vehicles 14 months ago.

[PHOTOS: Car cargo ship capsizes off Georgia coast]

Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Himes tells The Brunswick News that cleanup teams are responding to debris and oil sheens.

The leaders of the salvage effort have warned that material would leak out as a giant anchor chain saws the Golden Ray into eight pieces. Himes says no oil has been reported on local shores.

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Pieces of plastic and even a car bumper have washed up.

The Golden Ray rolled on its side the morning of Sept. 8, 2019 as it was leaving Brunswick bound for Baltimore. The ship had been transporting 4,200 vehicles at the time of the accident.

A pilot and 23 crew members were on board and nearly all of them escaped that Sunday. However, four crew members became trapped inside the ship.

The search and rescue operations took almost 36 hours to complete before all four members were safely rescued that Monday afternoon on Sept. 9.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report