MCINTOSH COUNTY, Ga. — Seven people were killed and six people were critically injured Saturday after part of a ferry dock collapsed on Sapelo Island in Georgia.
First Coast News Sports Director Chris Porter sat down with two survivors, 25-year-old Destiny Walker and her 2-month-old baby, Zhuri, for an exclusive interview that will air on First Coast News+ Tuesday starting at 5 p.m.
The collapse happened as crowds gathered on the island for a celebration of its tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants. A 911 call came in at 3:50 p.m. reporting that the gangway at the Marsh Landing Dock on Sapelo Island had collapsed, plunging people into the water below. Officials estimate 20 people went into the water when the gangway collapsed.
Walker said she and her family were walking across the gangway when it collapsed. Zhuri's father, Thomas Haywood, and her oldest daughter, 6-year-old Dior, were walking ahead of her when the collapse occurred, and made it across safely. Walker and Zhuri fell into the water.
Walker said she witnessed people fall onto her 2-month-old daughter. She lost her for a second, but was able to grab her by the arm and pull her out of the water. Walker then began screaming for help. A man eventually grabbed Zhuri and passed her to a woman on shore. Walker's boyfriend then threw her a rope and pulled her to safety.
Walker and Zhuri were rushed to the hospital, where Walker was treated for a serious knee injury. Zhuri was not injured.
While Walker is grateful to be alive, her heart goes out to the families of the victims who did not survive the collapse.
Officials believe a structural issue caused the collapse, but an investigation is underway to find the exact cause. The gangway's construction was completed in November 2021, and inspections were "routine," according to officials.
Porter's interview with Walker can be seen in its entirety in the video player above, or on the free First Coast News+ streaming app.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.