ATLANTIC BEACH  — A dock collapsed just before 6:30 a.m. Sunday at the Captain Stacy Fishing Center at 505 Atlantic Beach Causeway, sending about 10 people into the water and resulting in four patients being transferred for treatment at Carteret Health Care in Morehead City.

Atlantic Beach Fire and Rescue responded immediately. Other assisting agencies dispatched to the scene included the Morehead City Fire Department, the Pine Knoll Shores Fire Department and the Beaufort Fire Department.

 Atlantic Beach Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief and Fire Marshall Casey Arthur said units arrived to see several victims being removed from the water. The patients who went to the hospital had serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Several other patients declined transport with minor injuries.

A group was loading onto a charter fishing boat during the collapse.

The dock has been marked off and secured from public access and town building inspectors have been contacted.

In a post on its Facebook page, the fishing center expressed its gratitude to its staff and dedicated safety personnel who responded.

“Their swift response and unwavering commitment to safety played a vital role in minimizing the impact of this incident. We cannot thank them enough for their exceptional efforts.”

The fishing center said its team is working diligently to address the issue, repairing the damaged dock as quickly as possible. 

“Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, we will be conducting thorough safety assessments on all our remaining docks to ensure their integrity,” the post states.

“Please bear with us as we navigate through this process. Rest assured, our team is working tirelessly to restore the dock and ensure the safety of our facilities. We understand that this may cause some inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your cooperation and support during this time.

“As we progress, we will keep you updated on the status of the repairs and any necessary safety measures.”