The Sapelo Island Dock that Killed Seven People Was Not Old or Overloaded

• October 21, 2024
• Attorney Matt Stoddard
• Premises Liability

Approximately forty people were standing on the gangway of the Sapelo Island ferry dock on Saturday, when the structure suddenly and catastrophically failed, dropping half of those people into the water.

It’s true that this was not an average day for Sapelo Island’s infrastructure. The crowd of people on the dock were friends, family members, and tourists arriving for the annual Cultural Day, celebrating the history and heritage of the island’s small Gullah-Geechee town, Hogg Hummock.

The number of people in attendance does not even begin to explain this tragedy, however.

The ferry dock is only three years old, and the part that failed was an aluminum gangway connecting the land-side and ferry-side platforms of the dock. Representatives for Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is responsible for maintaining the dock, have stated that a modern aluminum gangplank requires very little maintenance and should have been able to withstand Saturday’s crowd. They have also stated that the dock receives regular safety inspections.

The residents of Sapelo and their guests did nothing to prompt this horrific accident, and nor can it be chalked up to wear and tear. This happened because someone, somewhere, committed a catastrophic error.

Seven People Are Dead and Six More in Critical Condition

In addition to the DNR, the U.S. Coast Guard and McIntosh County Fire Department also responded to assist known survivors of the dock collapse and search for others lost in the surf.

Of the roughly twenty people who hit the water when the gangway broke, seven have been confirmed dead. Eight were transported to mainland hospitals, six in critical condition.

All residents of Sapelo appear to be safe, with the crowd on the dock being made up entirely of arriving visitors. Most of the victims’ identities are currently private, with the exception of Charles Houston, an employee of the DNR itself. Houton was a Methodist minister and chaplain who worked for the DNR counseling survivors after disasters just like this one. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Houston.

The People of Sapelo Island Already Had to Fight for an Adequate Dock

Hogg Hummock is a small black community of about 70 people, founded shortly after the Civil War by the newly free people who had been enslaved by Thomas Spalding. The majority of Sapelo still belongs to the 29 descendants of those founders who currently live full-time on the island.

Sapelo is one of many islands along the southern East Coast of the U.S that are home to the descendants of specific small groups of formerly enslaved people. Collectively known as Gullah, Geechee, or Gullah-Geechee, these communities often have especially well-preserved history and culture dating back to ancestors born in Africa.

Unfortunately, it’s easy for towns like Hogg Hummock to be either overlooked by modern infrastructure, or absorbed into it in ways that threaten rather than support the communities that live there.

For example, residents of Hogg Hummock are currently fighting to repeal a recent zoning ordinance allowing for the construction of larger houses, which they say will lead to more vacation homes, which in turn could raise property taxes and potentially force residents out.

The current ferry dock is the result of another legal battle the Hogg Hummock residents took up in 2020.

Sapelo Island is accessible only by water, primarily by the DNR ferries that transport passengers back and forth between the island and Meridian, five miles away on the mainland. For many years, these docks and ferries did not meet federal standards of accessibility, making it very difficult for residents with disabilities to access the mainland, and for family and friends with disabilities to visit the island.

The people of Hogg Hummock sued, and in October of 2020, they were awarded a settlement of $750,000 and the promise of an accessible ferry system.

When Sapelo’s new dock was built in 2021, it should have been a decisive win for residents, not a prelude to death and destruction.

The Exact Cause of the Collapse Remains Under Investigation

The DNR is still in the process of analyzing the wreckage of the dock. However, given the possibilities that have already been eliminated, the most likely explanation for the collapse is a catastrophic error in the dock’s design or construction.

Depending on the details, the party at fault could end up being:

• The Georgia Department of Natural Resources. If the DNR made cost-cutting decisions during the building of the dock that it knew might compromise safety, the department would be responsible for these deaths and injuries.
• The engineering firm that designed the dock. If there were mathematical errors in calculating the dock’s loadbearing capabilities, that would be the responsibility of a design engineer, and most likely an additional safety specialist.
• The general contractor responsible for constructing the dock. It’s possible for a construction company to cut corners when executing a perfectly sound design, resulting in accidents like this.
• Any manufacturers who supplied substandard components. If the aluminum gangway itself was not properly cast, the company responsible for that specific part would bear the negligence for the accident.

The people injured in the collapse, and the families of those lost, deserve definitive answers and appropriate compensation from the party responsible. For that purpose, the DNR should not be the only organization conducting an investigation.

What to Do If You Were Injured or Lost Someone in the Sapelo Island Dock Collapse

The best way for victims of structure collapses to get accurate answers and fair compensation is to work directly with a lawyer, starting as soon after the incident as possible.

When you work with a lawyer, you know there’s someone investigating the incident who has your interests as their top priority. This can be especially helpful if the other organizations looking into the incident may be more motivated to protect themselves.

If you are Elizabeth Houston, if you are the next of kin to any of the other victims killed in the Sapelo Island dock collapse, or if you were standing on that gangplank and were injured in the fall, please feel free to reach out to the Stoddard Firm at any time for a free consultation on your options.  We frequently handle cases just like this.  IN fact, we are right now representing the family of a man seriously injured in a bridge collapse.  We know what experts to hire, what arguments to make, and how to investigate these sort of tragedies so as to maximize the recovery of those injured and/or those who lost loved ones.  We can be reached at 470-467-2200 or 678-RESULTS.