A late-night boating trip in Boston turned deadly Wednesday after a recreational vessel carrying four people crashed into a pier near Logan International Airport, killing a 24-year-old woman and injuring three others.
WCVB Channel 5 Boston reporters Rhondella Richardson and Arielle Mitropoulos reported that the boat had left from Fan Pier in the Seaport with four people on board before it slammed into the Logan Airport structure just after 11 p.m.
Richardson said NewsCenter 5 confirmed that the vessel was taken without permission from Freedom Boat Club, where it had been docked, and that the man operating it was identified as Lawrence Shieh of the Seaport.
Boat Was Taken After The Club Had Closed
Richardson reported from the Seaport that the boat left from Fan Pier with four people aboard, and investigators later learned that it had not been authorized for use that night.
Freedom Boat Club, through a statement from Brunswick Corporation, said the vessel “was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the Club,” adding that it happened well after the club had closed for the day.
The company also said it was cooperating fully with the relevant authorities.
That detail gives the crash a more troubling backdrop, because this was not simply a case of a boat outing that ended badly. According to the club’s statement as reported by WCVB, the vessel was not supposed to be out on the water at all.
Richardson said the remaining wreckage showed how severe the impact was after the boat hit the pier near Logan Airport. The crash left investigators still working to determine exactly what led to the collision, and as of the report, officials had not announced charges.
Rescue Crews Faced A Difficult Scene
The crash scene created challenges for emergency responders, Richardson reported, because the boat was badly damaged and pressed up against rocks and the pier structure.
Investigators and first responders had a difficult time reaching the victims, with the vessel crashed against the rock area “almost on top of them,” according to the report.
A 24-year-old woman died from her injuries. Richardson reported that Shieh, who was operating the boat, and two other women remained hospitalized but were expected to recover.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police were still investigating, and Richardson stressed that authorities had not yet said what caused the boat to strike the pier.
This is the part of the story where caution matters. A stolen or unauthorized boat, a late-night trip, a violent crash and a fatality all raise obvious questions, but investigators still have to sort through the evidence before assigning legal responsibility.
Victim Identified As Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert
Arielle Mitropoulos reported from Andover that the woman killed in the crash was Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, 24, of Andover, Massachusetts.
State Police confirmed her identity Thursday morning, Mitropoulos said, and those who knew her remembered her as a standout athlete and former college soccer player.
According to Mitropoulos, Dankert graduated from Central Catholic High School in Lawrence before going on to Union College in New York, where she played soccer as a defender.
Union College said in a statement reported by WCVB that it was “deeply saddened” by Dankert’s death, describing her as “an exceptional student athlete” who had a tremendous impact during her four years at the school.
The college called her passing “a profound loss” for its campus community and said it would reach out to those who knew her to offer support during what it described as a very difficult time.
A Night In The Seaport Ends In Tragedy
According to the WCVB report, Dankert and her two friends had been in Boston’s Seaport District earlier Wednesday night before they boarded the boat with Shieh.
What happened after that remains the center of the investigation. The boat left Fan Pier, traveled across Boston Harbor and eventually crashed into the pier at Logan International Airport.
For a city so closely tied to its waterfront, the story is especially jarring. Boston Harbor is full of routine ferry traffic, private boats, commercial vessels and airport-adjacent infrastructure, but a late-night unauthorized boat ride can turn dangerous very quickly, especially near piers, rocks and restricted or high-traffic areas.
The fact that three people survived does not soften the loss of a young woman whose college and hometown communities are now grieving.
Mitropoulos’ reporting put a human face on the victim, moving the story beyond the mechanics of the crash and into the life that was lost. Dankert was not just a passenger in a wrecked boat; she was a daughter, friend, teammate and former student-athlete whose death now leaves people searching for answers.
Questions Remain As Investigation Continues
Richardson reported that the district attorney and State Police were still investigating the crash, with no charges announced at the time of the WCVB report.
The key unanswered questions include how the boat was accessed after hours, why it left the dock, what happened in the moments before impact, and whether speed, visibility, navigation, impairment or other factors played any role.
Freedom Boat Club’s statement made clear that the vessel was taken outside the club’s knowledge and control, but investigators will still need to determine the full chain of events that put four people on that boat late Wednesday night.
For now, the confirmed facts are stark enough: a boat taken without authorization left the Seaport with four people aboard, crashed into a Logan Airport pier shortly after 11 p.m., killed 24-year-old Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, and sent three others to the hospital.
Richardson and Mitropoulos both described the story as still developing, and that is important because the legal and investigative picture may change as authorities gather more evidence.
What will not change is the outcome for Dankert’s family and community. A night that began in Boston’s Seaport ended in a fatal crash across the harbor, leaving behind grief, unanswered questions and a reminder that a few decisions on the water can carry devastating consequences.
Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.
