Science & Nature
One Man Dead After Jumping Into Lake Michigan Near Adler Planetarium, Water Conditions Remain Hazardous in NW Indiana
Lake Michigan's surf on Tuesday in Northwest Indiana. (Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project)
One man has died after being rescued from Lake Michigan near the Adler Planetarium on Wednesday, according to Chicago police officials.
Swimming along the Illinois and Northwest Indiana lakefront had been banned Wednesday due to "life-threatening" rip currents and waves, but two men jumped into the water Wednesday afternoon in the 1300 block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, police said.
Both were pulled from the lake, with one man alert and the other taken to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition. He later died.
A water rescue was also reported at Foster Avenue Beach on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, the body of a teen missing in the lake since Tuesday near Indiana Dunes was recovered from the water, according to Indiana Conservation Officers. The 17-year-old boy, from Eagan, Minn., was last seen approximately 300 feet from shore but rescue efforts were hindered by high waves.
Swimming conditions will remain dangerous though the weekend along Lake Michigan beaches in Northwest Indiana, according to the National Weather Service.
Even when water conditions are safe, swimming is only allowed at Chicago beaches when lifeguards are on duty between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. "Swimming anywhere else along the lakefront is strictly prohibited and dangerous," according to the Chicago Park District.
Areas around piers, boardwalks, jetties and other structures are particularly dangerous.
Swimmers often think moderate wave heights of three to six feet are manageable, but lake waves come in more rapid succession than ocean swells, causing swimmers to tire more quickly, experts said.
More than 1,300 people have drowned in the Great Lakes since 2010, according to statistics gathered by the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project. The organization’s most recent report for 2024 shows 37 drownings in Lake Michigan in 2024; in 2023, there were 41 drownings in Lake Michigan, by far the deadliest of the five lakes.
A search is currently underway for a teen who went missing in the lake Tuesday afternoon in the waters off Beverly Shores near Indiana Dunes, last seen approximately 300 feet from shore. When rescuers arrived on the scene, they located two other swimmers and a good Samaritan, who were all taken to the hospital in stable condition.
A beach hazards statement was in effect at the time of the incident, with waves of six to nine feet forecasted, Indiana Conservation Officers said.
The surf Tuesday:
This article originally published Aug. 7 and has been updated with new information.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
