Georgia- 7 dead, multiple people rushed to hospital after ferry dock collapse, Sapelo Island, 19 Oct; '24

[dotr]

Seven dead, six critically injured after tragic Georgia ferry dock collapse

The tragedy happened as crowds gathered on the island to celebrate its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.

nypost.com

“There have been seven fatalities confirmed,” a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the dock, said, according to reports.

He added that multiple people were taken to the hospital, as rescue crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and others were searching the water, according to a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the dock, according to reports.

The gangway at the dock collapsed and sent people plummeting into the water, Tyler Jones said.''

 

[dotr]

 

[LadyL]

was just coming here to post this - but I knew dotr would be on it!

so sad

 

[TTF14]

Oh how awful! They must have been so scared in their last moments .

 

[dotr]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/19/us/sapelo-island-georgia-boat-dock-collapse/index.html

''It happened as crowds gathered on the island for a celebration of its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.

At least 20 people were plunged into the water when a gangway collapsed on the visitor ferry dock shortly before 4 p.m., Georgia DNR Capt. Chris Hodge said at a Saturday night news conference. A McIntosh County commissioner previously said a boat hit the dock but a DNR spokesperson later told The Associated Press there was no collision and it is unclear why the dock collapsed.

Among those who died was a chaplain for the DNR, Georgia DNR spokesperson Melissa Cummings confirmed to CNN.

Six people were critically injured and two people were flown by air ambulance to hospitals for treatment, Hodge said.''

 

[vls12345]

At least 7 dead after ferry dock gangway collapses on Georgia's Sapelo Island

A gangway at the dock collapsed and sent people plunging into the water.

www.11alive.com

 

[vls12345]

At least 7 dead following Sapelo Island dock collapse

Officials believe there to be at least seven fatalities and multiple injuries at this time, at least 20 people fell into the water as the dock collapsed.

www.wtoc.com

At least seven people have died after a Sapelo Island Ferry dock collapsed Saturday afternoon, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. They also say 6 people were critically injured and two were life-flighted to area hospitals.

The DNR said they deployed boats with side-scan sonar and helicopters to help rescue and recover those in the water.

ETA: Per the video in the linked article, there will be an official press conference tomorrow at 10am.

 

[vls12345]

Here's a webpage about today's festival (prior to this tragedy that took place). Just to give an idea of the events going on there today....

SICARS Cultural Day on Sapelo Island

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Cultural Day is our most celebrated event held annually every fall. Please join us and celebrate with arts, crafts, entertainment, native foods, guided island tours, vendors, and meet and greet islanders. Save the date and mark your calendars for October 22, 2022. Please...

sicars.org

(Eta: Not sure why the snippet of the page that shows is displaying 2022. If you go to the actual page, it is referring to events for today/this year.)

 

[vls12345]

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[vls12345]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1847818769785081979

 

[vls12345]

Seven dead, six critically injured after tragic Georgia ferry dock collapse

The tragedy happened as crowds gathered on the island to celebrate its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.

nypost.com

“Many of those who were on the ramp and many of the injured and dead are elderly,” said McIntosh County Commissioner Rogert Lotson, who added members of the McIntosh County Shouters were also among those who were swept into the water, The Current reported.

One witness, who helped save people from the water after the collapse, told the outlet “there wasn’t a soul who wasn’t trying to help somebody,” with other witnesses saying that people were pulling victims out of the water and performing CPR as the ferry crew threw life preservers to those in danger.

While it remains unclear why the dock collapsed, Jones said there was no collision with a boat or anything else.

“The thing just collapsed. We don’t know why,” he told AP News, adding that a team of engineers and construction specialists are expected to be on site early Sunday morning to investigate why the walkway failed.

Lotson told Georgia public broadcasting that the dock was less than a year old, speculating that the aluminum ramp, and not the dock, was damaged.

Taylor added that the current was “so strong” and the only island access is through the ferry, causing delays for first responders.

 

[vls12345]

7 dead, 6 injured after Sapelo dock collapse

Sapelo Island dock collapses, leaving several dead and many injured. The island was celebrating its annual Cultural Day.

www.gpb.org

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is enroute to the scene.

Three survivors who got on the ferry —passengers 26, 27, and 28 — say they heard the ramp collapse behind them. They saw everyone fall into the water, including an older woman using a walker. The group, who had come from Florida to attend Cultural Heritage Day, said they watched four bodies, floating face-down in the water, pulled out to sea because of the low tide currents.

A source sent The Current a photo showing a ramp that apparently had collapsed into the water but was still attached to the Sapelo Island Ferry dock.

 

[dotr]

 

[acutename]

wonder if this dock had a weight limit and a lot of people were getting off the ferry at once...

 

[vls12345]

Officials: 'Catastrophic failure' led to gangway collapse, killing 7 on Sapelo Island

The incident occurred during Sapelo Island's celebration of Cultural Day.

www.wjcl.com

 

[vls12345]

Images depict emergency response after deadly gangway collapse on Sapelo Island

Authorities in Georgia have released images showing a portion of the water rescue after a gangway collapsed Saturday on Sapelo Island, killing 7.

www.wjcl.com

 

[vls12345]

https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/dock-on-sapelo-island-collapses-leaving-multiple-people-in-water/

“It is a structural failure. There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that, but we’ll see what the investigation unfolds,” Georgia Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon said at a news conference Sunday.

The gangway was installed in 2021, authorities said.

Rabon said “upwards of 40 people” were on the gangway when it collapsed, and at least 20 fell into the water.

 

[vls12345]

4 of 7 killed in Sapelo Island ferry dock collapse from Jacksonville

Four of the seven people killed in Saturday's ferry dock collapse at Georgia's Sapelo Island were from Jacksonville, officials said.

www.jacksonville.com

None of the victims were Sapelo Island residents, Rabon said. The following people were confirmed dead:

• Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75, Jacksonville
• Cynthia Gibbs, 74, Jacksonville
• Charles L. Houston, 77, Darien, Georgia
• William Johnson, Jr., 73, Atlanta
• Carlotta McIntosh, 93, Jacksonville
• Isaiah Thomas, 79, Jacksonville
• Queen Welch, 76, Atlanta

 

[HMSHood]

wonder if this dock had a weight limit and a lot of people were getting off the ferry at once...

I wonder about that too. I wonder if there was also some defect.

 

[airportwoman]

One of the men (don't remember which one) was a chaplain who died in the process of rescuing someone who couldn't swim.

Looking at their ages, was this a senior-citizens event?