Authorities identify body of woman found in Bristol, RI waters

Authorities have identified the body of a woman that was found in Bristol, RI waters.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on December 6th, the Portsmouth Police were alerted that a female passenger had fallen into the water from the Prudence Island Ferry and was now missing.

According to police, the ferry had departed Bristol at 5:45 p.m. and was on its way to Prudence Island. The Coast Guard, Bristol, and Portsmouth worked alongside several other agencies searched the area waters.

While the search was ongoing, members of the Portsmouth Police Detective Division responded to Prudence Island and interviewed the other passengers. The vessel was reportedly west of Hog Island in the vicinity of Poppasquash Point when 39-year-old Laura Ward, of Prudence Island, fell from the ferry. Witnesses reported Ward was alone on the deck of vessel when the incident occurred. From several witness accounts, it appeared that the woman intentionally climbed over the deck railing and entered the water.

Ward’s body was discovered around noon on Thursday from the waters of Walker’s Cove in Bristol near the Lobster Pot.