More than 40 people were on the gangway when the incident occurred, and at least 20 people fell into the water, authorities say
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Captain Chris Hodge speaks during a news conference after a gangway collapse on Sapelo Island, Ga. in McIntosh county, on Oct. 20.Georgia authorities said Sunday they are investigating the “catastrophic failure” of a dock gangway that collapsed and killed seven on Sapelo Island, where crowds had gathered for a fall celebration by the island’s tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.
None of the seven people killed were residents of the island, Rabon said. Eight people were taken to hospitals, at least six of them were initially reported Saturday to have critical injuries. Crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others searched the water, according to Natural Resources spokesperson Tyler Jones. The agency operates the dock and ferry boats that transport people between the island and the mainland.
Helicopters and boats with side-scanning sonar were used in the search, according to a Department of Natural Resources statement.President Joe Biden said federal officials were ready to provide any assistance needed.The deadly collapse happened as island residents, family members and tourists gathered for Cultural Day, an annual fall event spotlighting Hogg Hummock, home to a few dozen Black residents.
Small communities descended from enslaved island populations in the South – known as Gullah, or Geechee in Georgia – are scattered along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. Scholars say their separation from the mainland caused residents to retain much of their African heritage, from their unique dialect to skills and crafts such as cast-net fishing and basket-weaving.
Island Gangway Community State Failure Dock Mainland Georgia Department Of Natural Resources Tyler Jones Department Of Natural Resources
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