MANCHESTER, NH – The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Dive Team recovered the body of a 34 year-old woman from the Piscataquog River in Goffstown at 10:54 a.m. Aug 30.
The body was located in approximately 10-12 feet of water, about 250 feet from the north-east shore of the river that runs along Riverview Park Road. The woman, whose identity is not being released at this time, was a resident of Manchester.
On Saturday evening, Goffstown Police responded to the area at approximately 11:00 p.m. in response to a complaint about loud noise coming from a boat on the river. Once at the scene, police became aware that two adult males on a boat were searching for a female passenger who entered the water and disappeared below the surface. Attempts by the men to locate the woman in the water proved unsuccessful.
Personnel from Goffstown Fire Department and New Hampshire Marine Patrol responded immediately to the scene and deployed boats to conduct a surface search and shoreline search of the area. New Hampshire State Police and New Hampshire Conservation Officers also responded to the scene. Search and rescue efforts for the missing woman continued into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Sunday’s recovery mission included Conservation Officers from New Hampshire Fish and Game, New Hampshire Marine Patrol Officers, State Troopers and the New Hampshire State Police Helicopter, along with personnel from the Goffstown Police and Fire Departments. A representative from the State’s Medical Examiner’s Office also responded and an autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
According to Conservation Officer Lieutenant James Juneau, “Preliminary information suggests that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in this incident.” The matter remains under investigation by Goffstown Police and New Hampshire State Police.
No further information is available at this time.