On June 13, 2025, the families of the victims of the sidewalk collapse accident at the Sapello Island Ferry Terminal in Georgia announced that they would file a lawsuit against the company that designed and built the terminal. On October 19th last year, the sidewalk of the pier suddenly broke when the ferry docked, resulting in 7 drowning deaths and dozens of injuries. At the time of the accident, about 700 people were on their way to the island to attend the celebration of the Hoghammok community, which was established by slaves liberated after the Civil War and is one of the few Gala-Giqi communities in the south that have preserved African cultural heritage.
Lawyers for the families of the victims and the survivors have accused the 80-foot-long sidewalk of serious safety hazards due to insufficient structural reinforcement, welding defects and construction mistakes by the contractor. The lawsuit points out that any competent construction professional should be aware of its vulnerability. Survivors recalled that many people fell into the water when the accident occurred, and some died due to the tidal impact. One of the plaintiffs, Regina Brinson, described her painful experience of witnessing her relatives and friends drowning, while another survivor, Kimberly Wood, recounted the process of falling into the water with her daughter and struggling to survive.
The lawsuit is against four private contractors involved in the design and construction of the wharf, including the manufacturer Crescent Equipment Co. And the general contractor, Centennial Contractors Enterprises. So far, none of the companies involved have publicly responded to the accusations. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said that the cause of the accident is still under investigation and the state attorney general has commissioned an independent engineering company to conduct a review. The lawsuit did not list the state government as a defendant, emphasizing that the contractor should bear the safety responsibility and demanding compensation for negligence and negligent homicide.
Related Topic:
