Over the weekend, a ferry dock in Georgia collapsed and killed seven people after they fell into the waters below. Many are asking the question why? The incident happened at a cultural festival on historic Sapelo Island on Saturday.
Well, now, officials are blaming the ferry dock collapse on catastrophic failure. There were as many as 40 people on the gangway when it collapsed. Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon opened up about the failure of the dock. According to Rabon, the gangway was only three years old, being built in November 2021. Rabon said there have been daily inspections of the walkway.
"There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that," he said. However, records show the last inspection of the ferry dock came in December 2023. McIntosh County-based Crescent Equipment Company completed it. A team of specialists and engineers are investigating the accident.
"The gangway has been secured on Sapelo Island and the incident is currently under investigation," the department said. Rabon added what they initially found.
"The initial findings of our investigation at this point show a catastrophic failure ... of the gangway causing it to collapse," Rabon said. "I can assure you that the Department of Natural Resources critical incident reconstruction team will be working tirelessly in conjunction with engineers and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to gather ... evidence, and interview witnesses."
Georgia Ferry Dock Collapse
Meanwhile, Rabon also wanted to thank those who jumped into action following the ferry dock collapse.
"I want to thank those who were on the scene as the tragedy unfolded and jumped into action," Rabon said. "Their quick response and action saved additional lives yesterday afternoon."
Meanwhile, Hermina Glass-Hill, a witness to the chaos, described what she saw.
"We saw people wrapped in insulated bags to keep them warm, and people being carried by first responders and local people," she recalled.
