Seven dead, six critically injured in Georgia dock collapse, reports One America News Network
OAN Staff Abril Elfi
10:55 AM – Sunday, October 20, 2024
Seven people have died and six others have been injured after a ferry dock on Sapelo Island, Georgia collapsed.
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Authorities have launched an investigation into identifying the cause of the Marsh Landing Dock that collapsed on Saturday leaving seven dead and six others critically injured.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources Capt. Chris Hodge said the dock collapsed shortly before 4:00 pm in the middle of a celebration of the island’s small Gullah-Geechee community, plunging at least 20 people into the water.
The tragedy occurred during Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month, which takes place in October in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Natural Resources spokesperson Tyler Jones said that it remains unclear why the dock collapsed.
“The gangway has been secured on Sapelo Island and the incident is currently under investigation,” the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which manages the island and operates the ferry service, said in a news release Saturday night.
Dr. Charles Houston, the chaplain for the Georgia DNR, and a well-established minister was identified as one of the seven people killed.
Details about other people who died have yet to be released. Two of those injured were flown by air ambulance to hospitals for treatment, Hodge said.
According to the state’s natural resources department, multiple other emergency agencies assisted them by deploying boats equipped with side-scan sonar as well as helicopters for search and rescue. The McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office has set up a reunification point at an area church for those looking for family members.
The Sapelo Island Cultural And Revitalization Society, which hosts the island’s annual Cultural Day Festival, expressed gratitude for the public’s support.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones who lost their lives and who were injured,” the nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve Gullah-Geechee culture, land and community on Sapelo Island said in a Facebook post. “The Sapelo Island community is grateful for the outpouring of love and support and we ask that you join us in praying for the families of those who were impacted by this tragedy.”
President Joe Biden released a statement regarding the incident.
“Jill and I mourn those who lost their lives, and we pray for the injured and anyone still missing. We are also grateful to the first responders at the scene,” Biden said.
He added the White House is in touch with state and local officials to provide any assistance that would be helpful to the community.
Governor Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) also released a statement and said he and his family were “heartbroken” by the tragedy.
“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 in a post on X.
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