At least 7 people lost their lives and several others were injured following the collapse of a ferry dock walkway on Sapelo Island (Georgia USA).
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 19th, as visitors were attending a Cultural Day festival, celebrating the island's Gullah-Geechee community, known for preserving their African heritage.
The collapse happened on the island, located about 60 miles south of Savannah, which is accessible only by ferry. Approximately 20 people fell into the waters of the Atlantic when the aluminum gangway gave way, prompting an extensive search and rescue operation by the U.S. Coast Guard and local emergency teams.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), responsible for the dock and ferry service, confirmed 7 fatalities and noted that 3 individuals remain in critical condition. The DNR’s Commissioner, Walter Rabon, said the gangway, installed in 2021, appeared to suffer a structural failure, although an investigation is ongoing.
Search efforts included sonar-equipped boats and helicopters, with teams from the U.S. Coast Guard, McIntosh County Fire Department, and other agencies involved in the rescue operation. The incident has cast a shadow over the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Day, an annual event that honors the island’s historically isolated Black community.