MCINTOSH COUNTY, Ga. — At least seven people are dead after the Sapelo Island ferry dock collapsed in Georgia on Saturday afternoon, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
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The McIntosh County Coroner’s Office confirmed with Action News Jax the names of those killed:
- Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75, Jacksonville
- Carlotta McIntosh, 93, Jacksonville
- Isaiah Thomas, 79, Jacksonville
- Cynthia Gibbs, 74, Jacksonville
- Charles L. Houston, 77, Darien, Georgia
- William Johnson, Jr., 73, Lithia Springs, Georgia
- Queen Welch, 76, Atlanta, Georgia
According to a news release, at least 20 people went into the water when the gangway collapsed at the Marsh Landing Dock around 4:30 p.m.
Georgia DNR and other emergency agencies used boats with side-scan sonar and helicopters to conduct search and rescue missions.
Three people are still in the hospital in critical condition, officials said in a news conference.
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The gangway has been secured on the island.
The incident is currently under investigation. Georgia DNR, Georgia State Patrol, McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, McIntosh County Fire Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard are all involved.
Initial investigation revealed “catastrophic failure to the gangway,” officials said in a news conference.
Georgia DNR confirmed “that the gangway was inspected less than a year ago, in December 2023, by Crescent Equipment Company.”
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp took to social media and said he was “heartbroken.”
Marty, the girls, and I are heartbroken by today’s tragedy on Sapelo Island. 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.
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) October 19, 2024
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