ATLANTA: At least seven people were killed after part of a boat dock collapsed, sending at least 20 into the Atlantic waters off the coast of the US state of Georgia.

US Coast Guard ships were searching on Saturday night for missing people.

The accident, which also caused multiple injuries, happened during a celebration of Sapelo Island’s tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants, authorities said.

A gangway crowded with people waiting for a ferryboat collapsed late on Saturday afternoon on the Georgia barrier island about 60 miles (100 km) south of Savannah, said Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which runs the ferry. “We and multiple agencies are searching for survivors,” Jones said.

Vice President Kamala Harris, in the state capital Atlanta for campaign events, issued a statement late on Saturday, saying the Biden administration was in close touch with state and local officials and had offered any federal support needed.

“Tonight, Doug and I are praying for all those who were killed or injured in the collapse of the ferry dock walkway on Georgias Sapelo Island, as well as their family members and loved ones,” Harris said, referring to her husband, Doug Emhoff.

“Even in the face of this heartbreak, we will continue to celebrate and honor the history, culture, and resilience of the Gullah-Geechee community,” she added.

Published in Dawn, October 21th, 2024