Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert, 24, died after the boat struck a Logan Airport pier late Wednesday.
BOSTON, MA — A boat involved in a deadly late-night crash near Logan International Airport was taken without authorization from a Seaport boat club before it struck a pier, killing a 24-year-old Andover woman and injuring three others, officials and the club said.
Elizabeth “Lizzie” Dankert died after the boat hit Logan Airport Pier 4R at about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. The crash threw all four people aboard onto rocks near the shoreline. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating how the boat was taken, who had control of it and what caused the crash. No charges had been announced as of Friday.
Dankert was aboard the boat with two 23-year-old women and Lawrence Shieh, 40, who was operating the vessel, according to local reports citing investigators. Authorities said the group had been in Boston’s Seaport District earlier Wednesday night before boarding the boat. The vessel was docked at Freedom Boat Club, a membership-based boating service in the Seaport. The company said the boat left after business hours and was not being used through normal club procedures. “The vessel involved was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the Club, well after the Club had closed for the day,” the club said in a statement. The company said it was cooperating with authorities.
The crash happened near a runway at Logan Airport, where the boat struck a concrete structure at Pier 4R. Emergency crews found the victims in dark and difficult conditions along slippery rocks near the water. Boston Emergency Medical Services said crews worked with Massport Fire to reach and remove four patients from the rocks after the crash. Dankert was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The other three people were also taken for medical care with injuries that officials described as less serious. The crash temporarily closed a runway at Logan Airport while emergency crews responded and investigators began their work.
Dankert was a 2024 graduate of Union College in Schenectady, New York, where she played soccer and was remembered as a strong student and teammate. Union College said she had a major impact during her four years on campus and called her an exceptional student-athlete. She also attended Central Catholic High School in Lawrence. Friends and classmates described her death as a deep loss for her family, school community and former teammates. A lifelong friend said the two grew up as next-door neighbors and were “inseparable,” describing Dankert as part of every stage of her childhood. The college said it was offering support to students and others affected by her death.
Investigators are expected to examine several questions before deciding whether charges should be filed. Those questions include how the operator gained access to the boat, whether anyone had permission to use it, how fast the boat was moving, what the weather and water conditions were and whether alcohol or drugs played any role. Retired Master Mariner Robert Cronin told WHDH that investigators would likely review engine data, cellphone records, surveillance cameras and witness statements. Defense attorney Philip Tracy Jr., who is not involved in the case, told WCVB that fatal boating investigations can take longer than car crash investigations and may take weeks or months before prosecutors decide on charges.
Freedom Boat Club is owned by Brunswick Corp. and operates as a club where members can use boats without owning or maintaining them. The company said the operator did not work for the club. Officials have not publicly said whether Shieh was a club member, how the boat was accessed after hours or whether security systems recorded the boat leaving the dock. Authorities also have not released a full crash report, the boat’s route before impact or the speed at which it struck the pier. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office has said the investigation remains active.
The area around Logan Airport includes working waterfront, airport facilities, marked channels and piers used by vessels and emergency crews. At night, investigators said, the scene posed added challenges because responders had to work in darkness and along unstable shoreline rocks. The crash site’s location near airport property also drew a response from Massport personnel. Officials have not said whether airport operations were affected beyond the temporary runway closure. The focus of the investigation remains on the boat’s use, the moments before impact and the actions of the people aboard.
As of Friday, authorities had not announced charges or a date for a public briefing. Massachusetts State Police are leading the crash investigation, and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case. Investigators are expected to continue collecting statements, examining records and reviewing physical evidence from the boat and crash scene.
Author note: Last updated May 16, 2026.