updated 9:30PM
The Wilmette Fire Department received a call before 6PM this evening about a swimmer in Lake Michigan who was caught in the heavy currents and disappeared new Gillson Park. When the fire department arrived, they requested divers from throughout Division 3 plus the Coast Guard and a helicopter from the Chicago FIre Department. The helicopter was initially unavailable as Chicago had a rescue of their own in progress. The helicopter was able to make one pass over the area before returning to Midway Airport to refuel.
Chicago Fire Department Helicopter 6-8-2 makes a pass over the lakefront in Wilmette trying to spot a swimmer that was in distress. Jeff Rudolph photo
The water was deemed to choppy for divers, so firefighters walked the breakwater and into the surf looking for signs of the swimmer. Evanston responded with their jet skis which enabled divers to venture into the lake. The swimmer’s body was spotted by firefighters walking the beach after more than an hour on-scene, and the jet skis were used to bring the swimmer’s body to shore.
Fire department divers in swift water gear walk in the waters off the beach in Wilmette searching for a missing swimmer. Jeff Rudolph photo
Divers wade through rough waves as others walk the breakwater looking for a swimmer who was overcome by the current. Jeff Rudolph photo
Tim Olk and Jeff Rudolph were on the scene and photographed the operation.
Jeff Rudolph provided the following description:
At the Wilmette Code 4 and dive box at Gillson Park today, a 15 year old male was pulled under by a strong current. Conditions where too severe to put divers under the water, so instead they did walking patterns using pike poles to locate the victim. After 1.5 hrs, the victim was spotted in the surf break by a spotter on shore. The victim was pulled out unresponsive. ALS care was started on the beach and the patient was transported up to Wilmette Ambulance 27. Medics from Wilmette, Deerfield, and Skokie worked on the victim and transported him to Evanston Hospital where he was pronounced. The waverunners used belong to the Evanston FD. Chicago FD Air 1 assisted with an overhead look, but the churned up water was to murkey to see anything.
The Evanston Fire Department wave runner tows a diver along the shoreline in Wilmette on Saturday. Jeff Rudolph photo
A staging officer manages resources as they arrive at Gillson Park to assist the Wilmette Fire Department with rescuing a swimmer in distress. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Chicago Tribune has an article HERE.
A 14-year-old boy died after being pulled from Lake Michigan this evening off of Gillson Park in Wilmette.
The search began sometime after 6 p.m. in the water off the beach near Sheridan Road and MichiganAvenue in the North Shore suburb, and the search ended about 7 p.m. when a male of unknown age was pulled from the water.
A witness saw officials pull the person from the water and put him onto a stretcher while performing CPR. The person was then placed into a Wilmette fire ambulance and taken from the scene.
Wilmette Battalion 26 took command of the scene. Jeff Rudolph photo
Wilmette Squad 26 carries gear for the department divers. Jeff Rudolph photo
Glencoe divers responded with Ambulance 30. Jeff Rudolph photo
The Des Plaines Fire Department Dive Squad 78 and boat. Jeff Rudolph photo
