On Tuesday, highly regarded civil rights lawyer Ben Crump called for a federal investigation into a tragic incident involving the partial collapse of a dock gangway which resulted in seven fatalities during a cultural festival held on Georgia’s historic Sapelo Island.

Crump, representative for the families of three of the deceased, stated in a press briefing that these deaths were “unnecessarily, unjustifiably and … certainly preventable.” He was joined by family members of the victims and survivors who recounted their experiences of the calamity and shared fond memories of those who were lost.

The seven individuals tragically passed away on Saturday when a portion of the dock gangway fell as attendees were waiting to board a ferry headed back to the mainland, causing around 20 people to plunge into the waters off the Georgia coast, as per officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Approximately 700 visitors had traveled to and from Sapelo Island that day, which is about seven times the usual ferry traffic.

The collapse happened during the annual Cultural Day on the island, a festival honoring the Gullah Geechee legacy. The Gullah Geechee people are descendants of Africans who were enslaved on plantations in the southeastern coastal region of the U.S.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the ferry service and dock, alongside the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, are examining the reasons behind the “catastrophic failure” of the aluminum gangway, according to Natural Resources Commissioner Walter Rabon.

During the press session, Crump asserted that the seven victims succumbed to negligence and called for a comprehensive federal investigation. Natalie Jackson, a lawyer on Crump’s team, mentioned they are probing all parties responsible for the ferry’s construction, maintenance, daily operations, and the suppliers of materials as well as the gangway’s design.

“They were there to celebrate, and it turned into a tragedy due to mismanagement and insufficient infrastructure,” Crump remarked. “We demand a thorough inquiry at every level to uncover how this occurred, and we will not cease until we receive answers… We will achieve justice for the ‘Sapelo Seven.’

Inquiry into the dock failure

Law enforcement reported that the gangway was crowded with attendees getting ready to board a ferry on Saturday afternoon. After the incident, the Coast Guard utilized helicopters and sonar-equipped vessels for search-and-rescue operations.

Witnesses and survivors described the scene as frantic, with individuals seeking safety while others were swept away by the current after plunging into the water. Rabon noted that around 20 people fell into the water, and it’s estimated that as many as 40 were on the gangway at the moment of the collapse.

On Monday, Rabon stated that engineers and specialists were still determining the cause of the collapse. When questioned if the heavy traffic on the gangway contributed, Rabon acknowledged that “extra stress” might have played a role.

Constructed in 2021, the dock and gangway were last inspected in December, according to Rabon.

Sapelo Island, located about 60 miles south of Savannah, Georgia, can only be accessed by boat, with the state-operated ferry taking around 20 minutes to reach the island.

‘These elderly individuals were lively spirits.’

On Monday, officials identified the seven victims, all of whom were not residents of Sapelo Island.

The deceased included Isaiah Thomas, 79; Carlotta McIntosh, 93; Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75; and Cynthia Alynn Gibbs, 74 — all hailing from Jacksonville, Florida. Two additional victims, Queen Welch, 76; and William Lee Johnson Jr., 73, were from the Atlanta area, while another victim, Charles League Houston, 77, was recognized as a chaplain for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

On Tuesday, Crump expressed sorrow over the “tragic, tragic, tragic way” in which the seven lives were lost, emphasizing that they had “so much more life ahead of them.”

“These elderly individuals were lively spirits,” Crump stated, insisting that “they did not pass away from natural causes; they fell victim to negligence, a fact that we must repeatedly assert.”

Emotional testimonies from victims’ families and survivors

Regina Brinson recollected the harrowing accident through overwhelming sobs. She shared that she and her uncle, Thomas, were assisting McIntosh with her walker across the gangway when it suddenly collapsed.

As the trio navigated the gangway and reached the center, Brinson recounted hearing a cracking sound before witnessing McIntosh fall into the water.

“All of us ended up in the water, and the current forcefully swept roughly ten of us away from the ferry,” Brinson recalled. “It just kept pushing us.”

Brinson managed to see her uncle as the strong current carried them away and cried out, “Grab my hand!”

“He held onto my hand but gripped my shirt too, pulling me under the surface,” she recounted. “And I thought to myself, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to drown.'”

“I had to peel his fingers off my shirt, one by one, to float back to the surface, and when I looked at him, I was horrified, thinking, ‘What have I done?’ as he floated past me,” Brinson described.

Katrena Alexander, Thomas’ sister and caregiver, characterized her brother as “loving” and “kind.” She mentioned that Thomas was deeply committed to his church and regularly volunteered at its food pantry.

While Alexander was able to cross the gangway, she could only remember..

Due to the presence of “too many people” waiting to get on the ferry, chaos erupted.

“We could hear all the yelling and commotion, so I turned around, and when I did, I was shocked by what I witnessed,” Alexander recounted. “I just stood there, staring down at the water, and saw so many people.”