Seven people are believed to have died after a walkway that is part of a marina collapsed on Saturday on Sapelo Island, Georgia.
Georgia’s Department of Natural Resources said at least 20 people entered the water when the structure gave way before 4:30 p.m., prompting a response from the U.S. Coast Guard and state and local agencies.
The number of injured and the extent of their injuries are unknown, the agency said.
“Georgia DNR and multiple other emergency agencies deployed boats equipped with side-scan sonar and helicopters for search and rescue missions,” the report said. “The gangway on Sapelo Island has been secured and the incident is currently under investigation.”
In a statement, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said he, his wife and daughters are “heartbroken by today’s tragedy on Sapelo Island.”
“As state and local first responders continue to work at this active site, we ask all Georgians to join us in praying for the lost, for those still in danger, and for their families,” he said.
The McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook that those concerned about loved ones on the island should report to a reunification center at Elm Grove Baptist Church in nearby Meridian.
According to the department’s background on the gangplank, it is used by public ferries, the University of Georgia research trawler and some small boats.
The Sepalo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society hosted its annual Cultural Day celebration on the island on Saturday, calling it “our most celebrated event.” It is not clear if there were any revelers on the aisle.
Sapelo Island, on the Atlantic coast, is about 70 miles south of Savannah.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
