U.S. rescues last crew member from stricken S. Korean ship

Jubilant scenes as rescue workers managed to free the final crew member trapped inside a South Korean cargo vessel.

The Golden Ray, carrying thousands of vehicles, had flipped onto its side off the coast of Georgia on Sunday (September 9).

Salvage crews gradually drilled an opening in the ship's massive hull on Monday (September 10) -

First to deliver food and water to the survivors, then to extract the first three crew members, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

The final crew member had been trapped behind a glass panel in the engineering control room.

He was the only one who did not get any supplies when rescuers broke through the hull around 35 hours into their ordeal.

Temperatures for rescue workers outside rose to 120 fahrenheit - though it was thought to have been even hotter inside the ship.

The crew members were taken to hospital.

Helicopters rescued 20 others from the 656-foot vessel on Sunday after it became disabled, began listing and eventually fell helplessly on its side near Brunswick, Georgia.

It's not known what might have caused the vessel to tip over.

The local coastguard says it will now focus on environmental protection and removing the capsized vessel