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GEORGIA. – At least seven people were killed after part of a ferry dock collapsed off the coast of the US state of Georgia, the authorities said.
The incident on Saturday caused at least 20 people to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean, with US Coast Guard ships searching for missing people into the night.
The accident took place during a celebration of Sapelo Island’s small Gullah Geechee community who are the descendants of African slaves. Island residents, family members and tourists gathered for Cultural Day, an annual event spotlighting the island’s tiny community of Hogg Hummock, home to a few dozen black residents.
The dock was crowded with people waiting for a ferry, said Mr Tyler Jones, a spokesman for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the dock and ferry boats that transport people between the island and the mainland.
“We and multiple agencies are searching for survivors,” Mr Jones said, adding that eight people were taken to hospitals, with at least six of them with critical injuries.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris offered their condolences and said they had told local officials they would provide federal support if needed.
“What should have been a joyous celebration of Gullah-Geechee culture and history instead turned into tragedy and devastation,” President Biden said in a statement. – AlJazeeranews.com
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