Search and rescue efforts will resume on Sunday morning for two missing boaters who disappeared on Lake Michigan in northwest Indiana on Friday, according to local officials. The search for the missing individuals began on Friday, but on Saturday, the focus shifted to a recovery mission, which will continue on Sunday with the use of sonar equipment. Unfortunately, search efforts were called off on Friday evening as darkness fell, and the weather conditions in the area, including strong winds and high waves, are making the search challenging, as reported by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The two men who went missing were part of a group of ten people, including adults and juveniles, who were on a boat about two and a half miles off Whiting on Lake Michigan around 2:30 p.m. One of the men jumped into the water to swim but encountered difficulties, prompting a second man to also enter the water to help. However, the second man also struggled, leading a third man in a life jacket to join the rescue efforts. Unfortunately, the man wearing the life jacket got separated from the other two individuals. The Coast Guard was able to rescue him around 4:30 p.m. and he was taken to the hospital for mild hypothermia but has since been released.
The missing boaters are from Elk Grove Village and Mount Prospect respectively. The search efforts are being supported by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, the Hammond Fire Department, the Hammond Police Department, and the Hammond Port Authority, as per Marty Benson of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
In a separate incident on Friday, a man and a teenage girl were rescued from Lake Michigan at Muskegon’s Pere Marquette Park, located about 45 miles northwest of Grand Rapids. The teenage girl was initially unresponsive but became responsive later on, while the man was found after a search and CPR was performed. He is currently in serious condition.
Additionally, the Coast Guard rescued two children and two adults from the water off Galveston, Texas on Thursday after their vessel capsized. The four individuals were found clinging to the capsized vessel, with the two children wearing life jackets but the adults not. They were safely brought to shore with no reported injuries.
As search and recovery operations continue for the missing boaters on Lake Michigan, it is essential for everyone out on the water to prioritize safety measures, including wearing life jackets and being cautious of weather conditions. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those impacted by these incidents.