Additional Coverage:
On Sapelo Island, Georgia, seven elderly Black people died when a ferry gangway collapsed. Survivors and family members are demanding a federal investigation, alleging negligence led to the tragedy.
Attorney Benjamin Crump, representing victims’ families, believes the incident would have received more attention if the victims were white. He questioned the adequacy of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Bureau of Investigation to investigate their own agency’s involvement.
Survivors, like Regina Brinson, described the harrowing moments when the gangway gave way. She witnessed the deaths of her uncle and a family friend. Brinson said she tried to save her uncle but was forced to break free when he pulled her underwater.
The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus is also seeking to prevent future tragedies. They question the impartiality of state agencies investigating the incident.
The tragedy has raised concerns about the safety of infrastructure on Sapelo Island, which is home to a community of Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans.