Community mourns chaplain, 6 others killed in dock collapse; 3 in critical condition
A dock collapse in Georgia has caused the death of seven people, including a chaplain who was an ordained minister for 40 years in the United Methodist Church. Three others are in critical condition. The 77-year old chaplain was loved by his church family and law enforcement.
The tragic incident occurred around 3:50 p.m. on Saturday when an aluminum gangway collapsed at the Marsh Landing Dock on Sapelo Island, ABC News reported, saying that 20 people fell into the water as the gangway gave way under their weight.
Chaplain Charles Houston served the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia State Patrol.
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Houston was remembered fondly by colleagues and community members. “He was such a dedicated pastor and chaplain and was loved by those he served, both in the church and in law enforcement,” the New York Post quoted Pastor Mike Davis as saying.
Houston’s wife, Elizabeth Houston, expressed her grief. “He was a fine and good man. This is such a hard thing. I can hardly talk, I can’t even think right now,” she was quoted as saying.
The other victims were identified by McIntosh County Coroner Melvin Amerson as Jacqueline Crews Carter, 75; Cynthia Gibbs, 74; Carlotta McIntosh, 93; Isaiah Thomas, 79; William Johnson Jr., 73; and Queen Welch, 76.
Most were visitors attending an annual cultural event celebrating the Gullah-Geechee heritage.
Three individuals remain hospitalized in critical condition, WTOC reported, citing DNR Commissioner Walter Rabon. Two of the injured were flown by air ambulance for medical treatment, according to CNN.
“The initial findings of our investigation at this point show a catastrophic failure of the gangway causing it to collapse,” Rabon was quoted as saying during a news conference on Sunday.
The collapse occurred during a well-attended celebration of the Gullah-Geechee community, descendants of enslaved Africans who have preserved many of their West African cultural traditions. The event drew over 700 visitors, significantly more than the typical daily average of less than 100, ABC News quoted Rabon as saying.
Rabon noted that the gangway was installed in November 2021 and had been subject to routine inspections. “There should be very, very little maintenance to an aluminum gangway like that,” he said.
Sapelo Island resident J.R. Grovner claimed he had raised safety concerns about the dock months prior. “When we report stuff like this, we get brushed off,” Grovner said during the press conference, as quoted by WTOC. “We’re people that know the safety that Sapelo takes to operate, but we always get ignored about safety concerns.”
Witnesses described the incident.
“It was a very chaotic scene,” CNN quoted Tendaji Bailey, a seventh-generation Gullah-Geechee descendant, as saying. “Many people in tears, screaming, crying, people just shocked from the horror of the moment.”
Emergency response teams from multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and local fire departments, participated in rescue efforts.
President Joe Biden addressed the tragedy, stating, “Jill and I mourn those who lost their lives, and we pray for the injured and anyone still missing. We are also grateful to the first responders at the scene.”
The investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing. “I can assure you that the Department of Natural Resources critical incident reconstruction team will be working tirelessly in conjunction with engineers and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to gather evidence and interview witnesses,” Rabon was quoted as saying.
