Prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump has called for a federal investigation into the collapse of a dock gangway that killed seven people during an annual festival on Georgia’s Sapelo Island, describing the incident as preventable and negligent. The victims were attending the island’s annual Cultural Day festival when the gangway collapsed, sending about 20 people into the water. The incident occurred during the ferry boarding process, which was crowded due to higher-than-normal traffic for the festival. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the collapse, with authorities pointing to possible stress factors due to the heavy use of the gangway. The victims, who were all senior citizens, were remembered by their families and survivors as vibrant individuals who had more life to live. Emotional firsthand accounts of the incident described a chaotic scene with people being swept away by the water currents. Crump emphasized the need for justice for the victims and their families, calling for accountability at every level, including the entities responsible for ferry operations and the construction of the gangway. The families and survivors expressed their grief and shock over the tragedy, with one survivor recounting a harrowing experience of being pulled underwater while trying to rescue her uncle. The community has been devastated by the loss of the victims, who were described as loving, kind, and dedicated individuals.
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