Philadelphia's Graffiti Pier Partially Collapses Into Delaware River

The U.S. Coast Guard said it ended its search of the area around Philadelphia ‘s Graffiti Pier after it partially collapsed Wednesday morning, after finding no one in distress.

At around 6:25 a.m. Wednesday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay received a report that 10 to 20 feet of Graffiti Pier had collapsed into the Delaware River in Port Richmond. “Unconfirmed reports of people in the area at the time of the collapse” prompted a search in coordination with the Philadelphia Police Department and the Philadelphia Fire Department.

Graffiti Pier, a former coal loading dock, was once a public art space before it was closed by in 2018 over safety concerns. The following year, the nonprofit Delaware River Waterfront Corporation began efforts to turn the area into a public park, without progress.

The Coast Guard said two small boat crews and an Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew were deployed to search the area around the pier alongside partner agencies.

The search was called off after responders reported no signs of distress in the area and there were no reports of missing persons.

The cause of the collapse was unknown Wednesday afternoon.

—TMX contributed to this report