2 men found dead after boat capsized in Illinois lake; girl found unharmed
A 7-year-old girl was found unharmed, while her grandfather and great-grandfather died when their boat capsized during a fishing trip in an Illinois park.
The two Indiana men were fishing with their 7-year-old granddaughter at LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, about an hour and a half from Chicago, when their boat, a 17-foot Crestliner, capsized, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Monday. The girl was wearing a life jacket, the two men were not, police said.
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“Boater in distress”
Authorities received a distress call shortly after noon Sunday “about a boater in distress on the 2,000-hectare lake near Marseilles,” the press release said. When they arrived at the scene, they found a capsized boat and the little girl on the shore, with park visitors rushing to her aid. Visitors also helped contact her mother and grandmother.
First responders from several agencies helped search for the two men who fell into the water. They were recovered around 7:45 p.m. that evening and were pronounced dead at the scene by the LaSalle County Coroner, the agency said.
The identities of the two men were not released, but the press release said the girl’s grandfather, from Merrillville, Indiana, was 53 and her great-grandfather, from Gary, Indiana, was 80.
The investigation into the incident and the cause of the capsizing of the vessel is still ongoing.
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
