Federal probe into ferry gangway collapse on Georgia's Sapelo Island demanded by survivors and victims' families

Survivors of last weekend's deadly ferry gangway collapse on Georgia's historic Sapelo Island called Tuesday for a federal investigation into the tragedy. They were joined in the request by several relatives of the seven people killed in the incident, all of whom were Black older adults.

During a news conference, national civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, who has been retained to represent some of the families of the victims, said they will "not let this be swept under the rug."

Seven people, ranging in age from 73 to 93, died Saturday when an 80-foot aluminum gangway they were crossing to board a ferry at a dock on Sapelo Island gave way, sending them and others plummeting into the water.

Crump noted that the Black senior citizens who were killed had been visiting the island for a cultural event hosted by the Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans who were brought to the southeastern United States.

"They were just there for a celebration that turned tragedy because of malfeasance," Crump alleged.

The incident, which left three others in critical condition, is being investigated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which operates the Marsh Landing Dock on Sapelo Island where the tragedy unfolded, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

On Sunday, DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon said the preliminary investigation indicates that a "catastrophic failure" led to the gangway collapse. The investigation is ongoing into what caused the structural failure of the gangway.

In a statement Sunday, the DNR confirmed that the gangway, which was installed in November 2021, was inspected less than a year ago, in December 2023, by Crescent Equipment Company.

"Where is the federal investigation? We want a federal investigation," Crump said Tuesday, referring to those killed as the "Sapelo Seven."

Crump added, "Had these been seven white people who died on that gangway, you would have federal investigations, you would have resources being offered to the community."

Crump's statements echoed those made a day earlier by members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

State Rep. Carl Gilliard, chairman of the Legislative Black Caucus, said at a news conference on Monday that the goal of the group is the ensure "this will never happen again."

Attorney Francys Johnson, former president of the Georgia NAACP, who has also been retained to represent some of the victims, questioned whether the DNR and the state Bureau of Investigation are the appropriate agencies to investigate the incident.

"The state is not necessarily the best actor to be investigating itself," Johnson said during the Black Caucus news conference.

On Tuesday, Crump introduced several victims who survived the tragedy, including Regina Brinson.

An emotional Brinson said her uncle, Isaiah Thomas, 79, and their 93-year-old family friend Carlotta McIntosh died in the incident. She said she and her uncle were helping McIntosh, who was seated on a walker, cross the gangway when tragedy struck.

"When we got in the middle of that gangway, I heard a crack," Brinson said. "Then I looked and all I remember is releasing the walker and Ms. Carlotta just fell straight right down in the water. And I looked up and I said, ‘My God, what is happening here?' All of us ended up in the water and the currents just pushed probably about a good 10 of us away from the ferry.”

She said that while she was in the water, she found Thomas and told her uncle to grab her hand.

"He grabbed my hand, but he grabbed my shirt too and he kept pulling me and pulling me under the water. I kept saying to myself, 'Oh, my God, I'm going to die,'" Brinson said.

She said she eventually had to break free of Thomas.

"I floated back to the top and I saw his face. I was like, 'Oh, my God, what did I do?' And he floated by me," Brinson said. "It took everything out of me to just make it to land."