On Saturday, a tragic incident occurred on Sapelo Island in Georgia, USA, resulting in the deaths of at least seven people. The tragedy happened when a gangway at the Marsh Landing Dock collapsed, sending at least 20 people into the Atlantic waters.
The incident took place during a celebration of the island’s Gullah-Geechee community, which is composed of descendants of enslaved African Americans. The gangway connected an outer dock where people board the ferry to another dock onshore and gave way as crowds gathered for the event.
Authorities received the first 911 call about the gangway collapse at around 3:50 p.m. on Saturday. A large emergency response was initiated, involving local authorities, the Georgia State Patrol, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Emergency crews used boats equipped with sonar and helicopters to rescue people who fell into the water.
In addition to the seven fatalities, six people were critically injured and two others were taken by helicopter to other hospitals for treatment. Among the dead was a chaplain for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, urging all Georgians to pray for those lost, those still in harm’s way, and their families. The cause of the collapse is currently under investigation, with an engineering and construction team en route to examine the site).
