At least seven dead in Georgia after part of boat dock collapses, Biden says 'heartbroken'
File photo of Sapelo Island in Georgia.
At least seven people died in the US state of Georgia on Saturday (Oct 19) after part of a boat dock collapsed, sending at least 20 into the Atlantic waters off the coast. Citing authorities, a report by the news agency Reuters said that multiple people were injured in the accident.
The accidenthappened during a celebration of Sapelo Island's tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants, authorities said.Sapelo Island is only reachable by boat, and the state-run ferry takes about 20 minutes to reach its shores.
'Multiple agencies searching for survivors'
Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for theGeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources, which runs the ferry, said thata gangway crowded with people waiting for a ferryboat collapsed late on Saturday afternoon on theGeorgiabarrier island about 100 kilometres south of Savannah.
"We and multiple agencies are searching for survivors," Jones said.
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Officials told Reutersthat Coast Guard helicopters and boatsequipped with sonar immediately began search-and-rescue operations. The cause of the accident was not yet known.
People at Sapelo Island were marking Cultural Day, an annual festival celebrating the island's historic Black community, one of several surviving island communities fromGeorgiato North Carolina.
Biden administration reacts to accident
In a statement, US President Joe Biden said that he was"heartbroken" after learning about the incident, adding that his administration was in touch with officials and ready to assist the community.
"My team is in touch with state and local officials, and we stand ready to provide any and all assistance that would be helpful to the community," President Biden added.
Echoing his remarks, Vice President Kamala Harris said that the administration offered any federal support that was needed.
"Even in the face of this heartbreak, we will continue to celebrate and honour the history, culture, and resilience of the Gullah-Geechee community," Vice President Harris said in a statement.
(With inputs from agencies)