Local News
Video captures moments before the Sapelo Island ferry dock gangway collapsed
Sapelo Island, GA – A devastating incident occurred on Saturday at a ferry dock on Georgia’s Sapelo Island, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least seven people.
The collapse of a gangway at the dock sent people plunging into the water, prompting a massive search and rescue operation involving the U.S. Coast Guard, the McIntosh County Fire Department, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and other agencies.
Multiple people were transported to area hospitals, and rescue crews continued to search the water for survivors.
Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, confirmed seven fatalities and stated that the search for additional victims was ongoing.
The cause of the gangway collapse remains under investigation, but officials believe at least 20 people were on the dock at the time of the incident.
The gangway connected an outer dock to the onshore dock, facilitating access to the ferry.
Among the victims of the tragedy was a chaplain for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Sapelo Island, located approximately 60 miles south of Savannah, is a small island community accessible only by boat.
The island’s annual Cultural Day celebration highlights the Gullah-Geechee community of Hogg Hummock, a settlement founded by former slaves from the cotton plantation of Thomas Spalding.
Gullah-Geechee communities, descended from enslaved island populations, are scattered along the coast from North Carolina to Florida. These communities have preserved much of their African heritage, including their unique dialect, fishing skills, and basket weaving traditions.
Local News
No Survivors After Small Plane Crashes in Flames at Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri
CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. — Authorities are responding to a small aircraft crash in Lake of the Ozarks State Park after the plane went down near Public Beach Drive on Tuesday, November 3. Officials say no survivors are expected.
Osage Beach Mayor Richard Ross said he received information from city staff indicating that at least two people were aboard the aircraft when it crashed.
According to Ross, the plane had taken off from Lee C. Fine Airport, located within Lake of the Ozarks State Park. The aircraft reportedly crashed a short time after departure and was found engulfed in flames.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed that troopers were responding to the incident. At approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday, Troop F reported that the aircraft was fully engulfed in flames near Public Beach Drive in Camden County.
Public Beach Drive is located southwest of Lee C. Fine Airport, the reported departure point of the aircraft.
Airport personnel were unable to provide additional information about the crash.
The number and identities of those aboard have not been officially confirmed in the information currently available. Authorities have also not released details about the aircraft, the circumstances leading up to the crash, or the cause of the incident.
Emergency crews are responding as the investigation continues. Additional information, including official confirmation of fatalities and victim identities, is expected to be released by authorities.