Sapelo Island gangway collapse lawsuit filed
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Emotions were high Wednesday during a press conference where victims relived the Sapelo Island gangway collapse that happened last October.
Legal counsel announced that there will be a lawsuit and that they plan to hold everyone they deem liable accountable.
'I'm still having nightmares when I go to sleep, when I'm on the edge of the bed, it feels like I'm on a cliff or something,' George J. Francis said.
Justice and advocacy were two words emphasized during Wednesday's press conference regarding the Sapelo Island gangway collapse.
It happened on what was supposed to be a joyous celebration of Gullah Geechee culture. Seven people died in the accident, and many more were injured.
'It was a day that started out of excitement because I've never been to Sapelo,' victim Janice Carroll said. 'I was going to experience something new to a place that I had never been before. I was excited. Coming back and going back towards the ramp was, you know, oh, I had a great time. But once the incident happened, it was just like my whole point of view just changed.'
More than 20 plaintiffs and six defendants are listed in the 100-page civil lawsuit.It said that the defendants failed to ensure that the 80-foot gangways design was inspected, verified and approved by engineering professionals to confirm it could safely hold a certain number of people.
They said it was dangerously under-designed and poorly constructed. Attorney Chad Mance represents the victims and said the tragedy could've been prevented.
'It kind of forced me to deal with the looming ghosts of the past here in Coastal Georgia,' Mance said. 'And one of those is the inequitable distribution of resources to indigenous peoples here. And that really is the huge elephant in the room in this case, and had resources been equitably doled out, we would have never had this kind of tragedy.'
Victims are asking for compensation for their injuries and losses. Carroll and Francis said they couldn't believe what they were witnessing; they said no amount of money will ever be able to take away that memory.
'The only thing I could see was the thing going down, and I said, 'Oh my god', you know, and then you find yourself up in that water pulling yourself up out of the water,' Carroll said.
Francis said, 'I remember when it hit the water, I could see the people on the Meridian side from the ferry throwing out lifejackets, with the lifejackets the current was carrying them so no one could really grab them.'
This lawsuit could end up in a jury trial if no settlements are reached. It could take up to two years before victims see some type of resolution or justice.
WSAV will update the story as more information becomes available.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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