Seven people have been confirmed dead after a ferry dock gangway collapsed in Sapelo Island, Georgia, on Saturday. It is also reported that about six individuals were critically injured and are receiving treatment at a hospital.
According to AP News reports, the disaster occurred in the afternoon, before 4 p.m., during the island’s annual Cultural Day event, a celebration honoring the Gullah-Geechee community, descendants of Black slaves. It is estimated that over 600 people visited Sapelo Island for the event. This small settlement, founded after the Civil War by former slaves, is home to a few dozen Black residents.
The video below shows what the ferry dock looked like shortly before the collapse.
The incident prompted a massive emergency response, involving the U.S. Coast Guard, local sheriff’s and fire departments, and the DNR. Helicopters and boats equipped with side-scanning sonar were deployed in the search and rescue efforts.
There are no reports indicating a collision that might have caused the aluminum gangway, which connects the outer ferry dock to the shore, to suddenly collapse. According to Walter Rabon, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), there were up to 40 people on the structure when it failed, resulting in at least 20 individuals plunging into the water below.
All seven fatalities were visitors to Sapelo Island, with ages ranging from 73 to 93 years old. A spokesperson confirmed to CNN that among the deceased was Charles L. Houston, a 77-year-old chaplain for the DNR, Georgia State Patrol, and Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Other people confirmed dead are:
- Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75
- Cynthia Gibbs, 74
- William Johnson, Jr., 73
- Carlotta McIntosh, 93
- Queen Welch, 76
- Isaiah Thomas, 79
Commissioner Rabon described the collapse as a “catastrophic failure” of the gangway, which was installed in November 2021. He noted that such aluminum structures typically require minimal maintenance and undergo almost daily inspections. The last formal inspection was conducted in December 2023 by the McIntosh County-based Crescent Equipment Company.
Following the incident, a team of engineers and construction specialists has been dispatched to investigate the cause of the collapse. The DNR, which manages Sapelo Island and operates the ferry service, has secured the gangway and is overseeing the ongoing investigation.
