The US Coastguard has made contact with four missing crew members of a cargo ship that capsized off the coast of the state of Georgia on Sunday.

Car carrier the Golden Ray overturned early on Sunday morning after leaving the port of Brunswick.

Authorities managed to rescue 20 of the crew, but were reportedly forced back by fire, smoke and unstable cargo.

Those remaining on board are all South Korean nationals, the country’s foreign ministry said.

Rescuers have now made contact with those crew members still aboard the Golden Ray and are planning an extraction, the US Coastguard has tweeted.

Footage from the scene shows a US coastguard helicopter landing on the heavily listing Golden Ray, and rescue teams assessing whether they can enter the ship through the hull.

Six South Koreans, 13 Filipinos and the US ship pilot were evacuated from the vessel on Sunday, South Korea’s foreign ministry reportedly said.

According to MarineTraffic.com, the Golden Ray was en route to Baltimore. The ship was built in 2017 and was reportedly carrying more than 4,000 vehicles when it tipped over.

No other ship is allowed within half a mile (0.8km) of the Golden Ray under an emergency safety zone set up by the coastguard.

The reason for the ship’s capsize is under investigation, a coastguard news release stated. The National Transportation Safety Board has assigned two investigators to help.

Golden Ray is owned by the Hyundai Glovis logistics company and operates under a Marshall Islands flag.

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