Sapelo Island Dock Collapse Leaves 7 Dead, Others Injured During Gullah-Geechee Festival

MCINTOSH COUNTY, GA – At least seven people died on Saturday (Oct. 19) after a boat dock collapsed during an annual celebration on Georgia‘s Sapelo Island. Captain Chris Hodge with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said 20 people ended up in the water after the ferry dock gangway collapsed on the island in McIntosh County. Hundreds had gathered on the island for Cultural Day, the annual holiday celebrated in the community of Hogg Hummock by descendants of the Gullah-Geechee people, who were enslaved West Africans brought to the region in the 1800s.

Eight people, including six who sustained critical injuries, were taken to a hospital after the tragedy, Hodge said, according to People. Emergency personnel were still searching for missing people on Saturday night.

According to the Associated Press, a spokesperson for the Georgia DNR said it’s not clear why the gangway collapsed. Still, investigators are looking to identify the cause while the gangway is now secured.

“There was no collision with anything,” the spokesperson told the AP. “The thing just collapsed. We don’t know why.”

In a statement on Facebook, the Camden County Sheriff’s Office said “several individuals are still reported missing.”

Officials are urging anybody with information to notify law enforcement immediately.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to the families affected by this tragedy and the McIntosh community during this difficult time,” the sheriff’s office stated.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp shared his condolences on X.

“Marty, the girls, and I are heartbroken by today’s tragedy on Sapelo Island,” the governor wrote. “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.”

President Joe Biden also released a statement on the White House website, saying he and First Lady Jill Biden are “heartbroken to learn” about the tragedy.

“What should have been a joyous celebration of Gullah-Geechee culture and history instead turned into tragedy and devastation,” Biden wrote. “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. My team is in touch with state and local officials, and we stand ready to provide any and all assistance that would be helpful to the community.”