30 people rescued from World War II destroyer after walkway collapses into water in South Carolina
Officials said the walkway to the large vessel had collapsed into the water, leaving around 30 people stranded on board.
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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. – Firefighters in South Carolina were called to an unusual incident in which 30 people were reportedly trapped on a retired military vessel on Thursday.
The Mount Pleasant Fire Department responded to the USS Laffey, a retired World War II destroyer that now serves as a museum ship.
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Officials said the walkway, also known as the gangway, to the large vessel, had collapsed into the water, leaving around 30 people stranded on board.
The collapse happened while the area experienced wind gusts up to 25 mph, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The assistant director of marketing for the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, Lauren Austin, noted that due to high winds, one of the mooring lines to the USS Laffey snapped, resulting in the collapse.
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Firefighters used a ladder truck to help remove most of the people from the ship, with one individual requiring a harness rescue.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the collapse is currently unknown.
The USS Laffey served in World War II, notably on June 3, 1944, during the D-Day invasion. The ship headed for the Normandy beaches, where it was escorting tugs, landing craft and two Dutch gunboats, according to Navy.mil.
The ship notably took on severe damage during the Okinawa invasion in 1945, being badly damaged by four bombs and five kamikaze hits. The destroyer sadly suffered 103 casualties: 32 dead and 71 wounded.