Seven people were killed and three others seriously injured when an aluminum gangway collapsed at a ferry pier on Sapelo Island, Georgia, over the weekend.
All the victims were senior citizens who had traveled to the island for a festival celebrating the culture of the Gullah Geechee, an African American ethnic group from the coastal Southeast.
They were returning to the ferry landing when the gangway, connecting the shore to the floating pier, collapsed beneath them.
Eyewitnesses reported that the victims’ families attempted to rescue them from the water, while survivors struggled to stay afloat.
“A lot of people jumped in and did what they had to do,” said Maurice Bailey, a witness.
The victims have been identified as Charles Houston, 77; Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75; Cynthia Gibbs, 74; Carlotta McIntosh, 93; Isaiah Thomas, 79; Queen Welch, 76; and William Johnson Jr., 73.
Walter Rabon, chief of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, attributed the incident to a “structural failure.”
He noted, “There should be very, very little maintenance required for an aluminum gangway like that, but we’ll see what the investigation reveals.”
Local authorities have identified the contractor responsible for building the dock, which was installed in 2020.
The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of condolences, including messages from President Joe Biden.
