ST. SIMON'S SOUND, Ga. - The Coast Guard and law enforcement are searching for four missing crewmembers after a large cargo freighter overturned early Sunday morning, officials said.
On Twitter, the Coast Guard's 7th District reported that it and local agencies are on the scene of the Golden Ray cargo vessel, which was had capsized near St. Simons Sound in Georgia around 2 a.m.
Currently, officials have rescued 20 people. Four others who were on the ship remain unaccounted for.
According to Coast Guard Capt. John Reed, officials determined the situation was too risky to go further inside the vessel after the 20 were evacuated.
Reed says rescue teams, which involve federal, state and local agencies, are trying to stabilize the Golden Ray cargo ship to continue their search for the missing crew members. He says they have been unable to determine if the fire has been extinguished.
The Coast Guard shared a photo of the 656-foot cargo freighter, which had turned almost completely to one side.
The Port of Brunswick has established an emergency safety zone in St. Simons Sound. Vessels are not authorized within a half-mile of the Golden Ray, which is lying on its side and on fire.
The Golden Ray is flagged out of the Marshall Islands and was headed to Baltimore, according to the website vesselfinder.com. The ship's registered owner is a South Korean company.
The cause of the ship's capsizing is under investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.