2023-08-17 21:46:18
A body was discovered at a suburban harbor along Lake Michigan Thursday, amid a search for a 19-year-old man who went missing in the water off Winnetka’s Elder Lane Beach this week.
The body was located in Wilmette Harbor, just south of Winnetka Beach, where a swimmer was reported missing Tuesday, according to the Wilmette Fire Department. Firefighters said they would turn the investigation over to police upon recovery, but offered no additional details.
The identity has not been released, but Winnetka lifeguards and the US Coast Guard had been searching the water for a 19-year-old man who entered Lake Michigan at Elder Lane Beach early Tuesday morning and did not resurface.
At approximately 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, the Winnetka Fire Department responded to reports of a man wading into the water at 299 Sheridan Rd with two others. According to the Village of Winnetka, the man “was dragged underwater and did not resurface.”
Later Tuesday, the town of Winnetka described the incident as a “public accident.”
Tuesday’s water rescue drew a large emergency presence from the Winnetka and Wilmette fire departments, as well as the US Coast Guard. However, efforts were halted at that point due to high winds, waves, and “life-threatening currents.”
The National Weather Service issued a beach hazard statement Tuesday with a high risk of swimming along all beaches in northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana, saying large waves and “life-threatening rip currents” would give lead to dangerous swimming and boating conditions in Lake Michigan.
Wind gusts of more than 35 miles per hour were reported, along with waves as high as 10 feet along the lake, the NBC 5 Storm Team said.
According to authorities, the US Coast Guard cannot operate rescue helicopters in winds of more than 35 miles per hour. In addition, the maximum wave height that a US Coast Guard rescue boat can operate in is eight feet.
Family members later confirmed that the missing swimmer was a 19-year-old man. It is unclear if the body recovered is that of the missing swimmer.
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