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A 20-year-old woman from New Jersey died in Florida on Friday after sustaining injuries from a fall at Fort Dade, a historic military installation located on Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Victoria Zardoya was visiting the remote island—accessible only by boat—with a group of friends when the incident occurred during a boating tour of the ruins.
Witnesses at the scene immediately contacted emergency services and deployed flares from their boats to signal for help. Paramedics arrived by water while a medical helicopter transported Zardoya to a nearby hospital. She succumbed to her injuries two days later.
Victoria Silberbusch, identified as a friend present during the incident, posted an account on social media describing the response to Zardoya’s accident. Silberbusch characterized Zardoya’s injuries as severe and stated that everyone present acted without hesitation to provide assistance until professional responders arrived.
Zardoya was known to be close friends with Milania Guidice, daughter of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” cast member Teresa Guidice. The Guidice family has shared condolences across social media in the days following the tragedy.
Records from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office indicate the agency responded to an incident on Egmont Key at approximately 4:50 p.m. Friday and concluded operations by 11:16 p.m. that evening. Fox News Digital requested a formal incident report from the sheriff’s office regarding the circumstances of the fall.
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