CNN
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At least seven people were killed and several others injured on Saturday after part of a ferry port on Georgia’s Sapelo island collapsed, the newspaper said. Ministry of Natural Resources of Georgia.

It happened as crowds gathered on the island for a celebration of the small Gullah-Geechee community of black slave descendants.

At least 20 people were swept into the water when a gangplank collapsed at the visitors ferry dock shortly before 4 p.m., Georgia DNR Capt. Chris Hodge said at a news conference Saturday evening. A McIntosh County commissioner previously said a boat struck the dock, but a DNR spokesman later told The Associated Press there was no collision and it is unclear why the dock collapsed.

Among those who died was a DNR chaplain, Georgia DNR spokesperson Melissa Cummings confirmed this to CNN.

Six people were seriously injured and two people were flown by air ambulance to hospitals for treatment, Hodge said.

“The gangway on Sapelo Island has been secured and the incident is currently under investigation,” the Georgia DNR said in its news release.

The DNR said several other emergency services assisted them by deploying boats equipped with side-scan sonar and helicopters for search and rescue missions.

The McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post earlier Saturday that it was “working with multiple agencies on an active situation on Sapelo Island.” “We have set up a family reunification point at Elm Grove Baptist Church,” the post said. “We ask anyone looking for relatives to look there first.”

CNN has contacted the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office, McIntosh County EMS and the U.S. Coast Guard for more information.

Both President Joe Biden and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp said in separate statements on Saturday that they were “heartbroken” by the news of the collapse.

“Jill and I mourn those who have lost their lives, and we pray for the injured and anyone still missing. We are also grateful to the first responders on the scene,” Biden said.

He added that the White House is in contact with state and local officials to provide any assistance that would be helpful to the community.

“As state and local first responders continue to work at this active site, we ask all Georgians to join us in praying for those lost, for those still in danger, and for their families.” Kemp said in a post on X.

The city of Darien said the accident turned the community’s holiday into a tragedy. “Please keep those who lost their lives today, the families of those affected and our community in your prayers,” the city said in a Facebook post.

The Sapelo Island Cultural And Revitalization Society, which organizes the island’s annual Cultural Day Festival, also said it was “heartbroken” and grateful for the support people have shown.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured,” the nonprofit said in a Facebook post. “The Sapelo Island community is grateful for the outpouring of love and support, and we ask that you join us in praying for the families of those affected by this tragedy.”

Sapelo Island is a barrier island off the coast of Georgia, only accessible by boat. According to Explore Georgia, there are approximately 70 full-time residents on the island. Most of them are descended from slaves who worked on plantations.

Ferries typically depart from the Sapelo side dock three times a day, taking visitors to the mainland dock in Meridian. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the island suffered severe damage during Hurricane Helene, including a six-day power outage.

This story has been updated with additional information.