Seven people were killed Saturday when a gangway collapsed on Sapelo Island, Georgia, during a day when the island was celebrating its heritage.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said about 20 people went into the water after the collapse, according to CNN.
Of those, seven died and six were critically injured.
The cause of the collapse of the Marsh Landing Dock was unclear as of early Sunday. according to WJCL.
7 people, including the chaplain of the state agency, were killed in a tragic ferry collapse on Sapelo Island in Georgia. The event, in which people were celebrating and honoring Black Slave descendants, was interrupted after the dock sent multiple plummeting into the water. pic.twitter.com/A9DhpSE1cL
— Come On Now Katt (@ViralShid) October 20, 2024
“The gangway has been secured on Sapelo Island, and the incident is currently under investigation,” said the Georgia DNR, which operates a ferry service to the island, CNN reported.
The agency said a team of officials was set to begin examining the dock to learn why the gangway collapsed.
Tyler Jones of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said there was no single incident that led to the gangway collapsing, according to the Guardian.
“There was no collision” with any object, Jones said. “The thing just collapsed. We don’t know why.”
Photo of the ferry dock that collapsed and killed at least 7 people in Sapelo Island, Georgia
“many of the injured and dead are elderly”
(photo from Georgia Public Broadcasting)https://t.co/gO9yQ9Zq5Y pic.twitter.com/JnG7gN9IGS— Steve Lookner (@lookner) October 20, 2024
The island has only a few dozen full-time residents. It is home to the descendants of the Gullah-Geechee people, whose roots go back to 1802 when African slaves were brought to the island, according to CNN
The island was hosting its annual Cultural Day when the gangway collapsed.
Hundreds of people visited the island for the celebration, Griffin Lotson, mayor pro-tempore of Darien, Georgia, said, according to The New York Times.
Marty, the girls, and I are heartbroken by today’s tragedy on Sapelo Island. As state and local first responders continue to work this active scene, we ask that all Georgians join us in praying for those lost, for those still in harm’s way, and for their families.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) October 19, 2024
J.R. Grovner, who owns a tour company that uses the dock on the Duplin River, said he was stunned by the sight of the tragedy.
“Most of the bodies were already on the edge of the river, and people were pulling them up,” Grovner said, adding that many victims appeared to be elderly.
“I’ve been on Sapelo for 44 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this in my life,” he said.
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