SAVANNAH: At least seven people were killed when a part of a ferry dock collapsed on Georgia's Sapelo Island on Saturday. The frightening incident unfolded as island residents, families and tourists were gathered for the annual Cultural Day dedicated to the tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.
The Associated Press reported that multiple people were taken to hospitals, and crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others were searching the water, according to Natural Resources spokesperson Tyler Jones.
Jones said a gangway at the dock collapsed, sending people plunging into the water. “There have been seven fatalities confirmed. There have been multiple people transported to area hospitals, and we are continuing to search the water for individuals," he added.
Officials believe at least 20 people were on the gangway when the ferry dock collapsed.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said he and his family were “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,” Kemp said on the social platform X.
Sapelo Island is about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Savannah, reachable from the mainland by boat.