A 22-year-old New Hampshire woman, who was on vacation with her boyfriend in Florida, sadly lost her life when she was thrown off a boat by a wave.
Lindsay Partridge, a native of Nashua, was vacationing in Boca Raton, Florida, on Sunday with her 24-year-old boyfriend, Jacob Smith, when she was knocked off the 23-foot vessel, her dad, Donald Partridge, told Boston 25.
Partridge’s boyfriend, of Manchester, New Hampshire, dived into the water in a desperate attempt to save his girlfriend. Sadly, Partridge was pronounced dead at a local hospital, Boca News Now reported.
The boat “was traveling offshore approximately one quarter mile northeast of the Boca Inlet and 150 yards off-shore with two occupants on board,” the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told Boca News Now.
“While the vessel was traveling north, a wave washed over the vessel. The victim (Lindsay Partridge) fell overboard and the occupant (Jacob Smith) attempted to maneuver the vessel to pick her up,” the agency said.
“The victim was brought to shore by the lifeguards at Boca Beach Club and was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. The weather advisory indicated a small craft advisory for the area,” it added.
Partridge’s dad told Boston 25 that “Any boat smaller than 30 feet shouldn’t be out there and she rented a 23-foot boat.”
“It’s not her first time. She’s familiar with boats, she knows boats a little bit, but they went out and a big wave hit him and I guess she was thrown from the boat,” he told the outlet.
“She was fearless and definitely a spitfire. She made everyone feel loved. She could’ve just met you, but she made you feel like you’ve been friends for 30 years,” the grieving dad added.
Partridge’s grieving mother, Jessie Partridge, told the outlet that her daughter “had such a full life — I mean she golfed and she hiked.”
She added: “We’re crying a lot over crying in huddles.”
A Gofundme page, which sought $20,000 to help the family, has raised $22,775 as of Thursday morning.
The accident remains under investigation.
