At least 7 dead after ferry dock gangway collapses on Georgia’s Sapelo Island
Tragedy struck on Georgia’s Sapelo Island as at least seven people lost their lives on Saturday following the collapse of a part of the ferry dock. Officials reported that multiple individuals were rushed to hospitals, and search efforts were undertaken by the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in the waters, as stated by spokesperson Tyler Jones from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which oversees the operation of the dock.
The incident occurred when a gangway at the dock gave way, causing people to fall into the water. This unfortunate event took place during a gathering on the island to commemorate its small community of Gullah-Geechee descendants, hailing from Black slaves. Jones confirmed the tragic loss of seven lives and mentioned that numerous individuals were being transported to nearby medical facilities, while the search for missing persons continued.
While the cause of the gangway collapse remains unknown, officials estimated that at least 20 people were on it at the time. The gangway linked an exterior dock where ferry passengers embark to another adjacent dock on land. Among the casualties was a chaplain affiliated with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Sapelo Island, positioned around 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of Savannah, is only accessible from the mainland by boat. An annual Cultural Day event is held in the autumn to honour the island’s small Hogg Hummock community, comprising a handful of Black inhabitants. This community, featuring dirt roads and modest residences, was established by former slaves who toiled on Thomas Spalding’s cotton plantation.
Numerous small communities in the South, descended from enslaved populations on islands — referred to as Gullah or Geechee in Georgia — are scattered along the coastline stretching from North Carolina to Florida. Scholars have highlighted the preservation of their African heritage among these communities due to their isolation from the mainland, reflected in their unique dialect, traditional skills such as cast-net fishing, and heritage crafts like basket weaving.