BRUNSWICK, Ga. — New video from the US Coast Guard's southeast division shows teams rescuing stranded crew members from aboard a cargo ship that rolled to its side off the coast of Georgia.
The Coast Guard rescued 20 people from the M/V Golden Ray, a 656-foot vehicle carrier that listed in St. Simons Sound, near Brunswick, Georgia. But four people are still unaccounted for, according to authorities.
The Golden Ray's crew is comprised of 24 members - 23 crew and one pilot. As of this point, there have been no reports of injuries.
Video from the aboard the military helicopter showed teams from Air Station Savannah hoisting up some of those crew members to safety in pitch black conditions. The ship can be seen laying completely on its side.
It was around 2 a.m. Sunday when watchstanders from the Coast Guard's Charleston sector received word from Glynn County 911 dispatchers that the Golden Ray had capsized in St. Simons Sound. Multiple Coast Guard assets were dispatched at that point.
At this time, officials don't have any word on what caused the ship to roll on its side, but according to the Coast Guard, black smoke had been seen coming from the ship's starboard side, or right side. Authorities said flames are no longer visible and the smoke has since dissipated, but they have been unable to confirm the fire is completely out without going inside - something Coast Guard officials said was too difficult to risk at time. That fact also hampered rescue teams from entering the ship to search for those missing four people.
According to MarineTraffic.com, the ship is a Vehicle Carrier that was on its way from the Port of Brunswick to the Port of Baltimore. The vessel is listed as a 200-meter long, 36-meter wide vehicle carrier from the Marshall Islands.
Photos: Overturned cargo ship near Brunswick
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