At least seven people died after a part of a dock collapsed and sent at least 20 boats into the Atlantic off the coast Georgia, U.S.

The U.S. Coast Guard searched for missing persons on Saturday night.

Authorities said that the accident, which caused multiple injuries as well, occurred during a celebration for Sapelo Island’s tiny Gullah Geechee community, which is made up of descendants of Black slaves.

Tyler Jones, spokesperson for Georgia Department of Natural Resources which operates the ferry, confirmed that a gangway crowded with people waiting to board a ferryboat on a barrier island in Georgia, about 60 miles south of Savannah collapsed Saturday afternoon.

Jones stated that "we and other agencies are looking for survivors."

Officials said that helicopters and boats of the Coast Guard equipped with sonar immediately started search-and rescue operations. It was not immediately known what caused the accident.

Sapelo Island can only be reached by boat. The state-run ferry will take about 20 minutes.

Cultural Day is an annual celebration of the historic Black community on the island, descendants of former slaves. It's one of many island communities that still exist from Georgia to North Carolina.

Isolation is believed to be the reason why many of the Gullahs, or Geechees in Georgia, have retained a large part of their African heritage.

The Georgia DNR issued a statement saying, "Our thoughts and our prayers are with all those involved including the whole Sapelo island Community."

(source: Reuters)