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Sapelo Island tragedy: New safety signs erected after deadly ferry gangway collapse

Published  October 23, 2024 11:04pm EDT
Georgia
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

(Georgia Department of Natural Resources)

The Brief

    • New safety signs have been installed at the Sapelo Island ferry gangway in response to the recent collapse that resulted in seven fatalities.
    • The failed gangway, which was an 80-foot aluminum structure, had been rated to hold 320 people but now has a restriction of no more than 8 individuals or 4 with carts.
    • The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, overseeing the dock, is investigating the incident with help from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, focusing on the dock's 2021 refurbishment and recent inspection.
    • Community support sessions are being organized by the DNR to provide aid and mental health resources to those affected by the tragedy.
    • Increasing calls for an independent investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice have emerged in the aftermath of the accident.

SAPELO ISLAND, Ga. - As the investigation into the deadly dock gangway collapse on Sapelo Island continues, officials with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources have put up new signs around the remaining gangway.

The "catastrophic failure" of the gangway leading to the ferry on and off the island on Oct. 19 claimed the lives of seven individuals, ages 73 to 93.

Sapelo Island ferry gets new signs

DNR officials posted new signs at the remaining gangway at the ferry point on and off Sapelo Island on the following Wednesday, four days after the deadly accident.

The signs read:

"Gangway is for transient access only. Out of an abundance of caution, do not exceed more than 8 individuals (or 4 with carts) evenly spaced."

Despite the new regulations, the 80-foot aluminum gangway was previously rated by engineers to have the capacity to bear the weight of 320 people.

The DNR, which administers the dock, is leading the probe into the collapse with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Special attention is given to the fact that the dock was refurbished in 2021, following a lawsuit settlement pertaining to disability access standards. The dock’s most recent inspection in December 2023 did not indicate any safety issues. Officials have since moved the gangway to a secure location for a thorough examination.

Sapelo Island community support sessions

Meanwhile, the DNR is also organizing community support sessions to aid those impacted by the disaster.

These gatherings are set for Saturday, Oct. 26, with a morning session from 9 a.m. to noon at the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island and an afternoon session from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Oaks on the River Hotel in Darien, McIntosh County, with funding from the DNR and the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation. Ongoing mental health support resources will be made available to community members.

The McIntosh County coroner identified those killed in the incident as Charles L. Houston, 77, a chaplain for the DNR; Cynthia Gibbs, 74; Jacquelyn Carter, 75; Carlotta McIntosh, 93; William Johnson Jr., 73; and 76-year-old Queen Welch.

Mounting pressures have prompted calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to commence an independent investigation.

The Source

  • The Georgia Department of Natural Resources provided the new details for this article with previous FOX 5 Atlanta original reporting, the Associated Press, and FOX News contributing to this report.