Boston boat crash victim Elizabeth Dankert remembered as "terrific young woman"

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dankert, the 24-year-old from Andover, Massachusetts who died in a boat crash in East Boston late Wednesday night, is being remembered as a "terrific young woman."

Dankert played soccer for Union College in New York before graduating in 2024. The school said she was an "exceptional student-athlete."

"Her passing is a profound loss for our campus community," Union said in a statement. "We offer our condolences to Lizzie's family, classmates, teammates and all those who were lucky to know this terrific young woman."

After college, Dankert worked for software company PTC in Boston.

"Lizzie was a beloved member of the PTC team, known for her positive attitude, enthusiasm, and willingness to help others," the company said. "She will be deeply missed."

Dankert's family told WBZ-TV that they are heartbroken and will miss her immensely. 

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office says Dankert and two female friends boarded the boat with a man in the Seaport Wednesday night. At about 11:20 p.m., it crashed into a pier near a Logan Airport runway, throwing the passengers onto the rocky shore. 

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Sources tell WBZ-TV's I-Team that the man on board took the boat without permission from the Freedom Boat Club. 

"The vessel involved (which is part of the Freedom Boat Club fleet) was taken without authorization and operated outside the knowledge and control of the Club, well after the Club had closed for the day," a spokesperson for the club said. 

As of Friday morning, no charges had been filed in the crash.

"This investigation will take some time," a spokesperson for District Attorney Kevin Hayden said.