During the annual Cultural Day festival on Sapelo Island, Georgia, a day meant for celebration turned into a tragic event when an aluminum gangway collapsed at a boat dock. The incident occurred as visitors were boarding a ferry back to the mainland, with up to 40 people standing on the gangway when it gave way. This led to at least 20 individuals falling into the Atlantic waters, prompting a frantic rescue effort by bystanders forming a human chain to bring survivors to safety.
Despite the heroic efforts, seven people lost their lives in the accident, while three others remained hospitalized. The cause of the collapse is under investigation by authorities, who are trying to determine what led to the catastrophic failure of the state-operated dock, which had been rebuilt in 2021.
