Body Found After Swimmer Disappeared Off Waukegan Beach
Updated 06/24/16 - 10:04 p.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Divers have found the body of a teenager who disappeared in Lake Michigan off the Waukegan Municipal Beach on Friday.
The U.S. Coast Guard said the teen was boating with friends and family when he disappeared around 3 p.m.
Waukegan Police Cmdr. Joe Florip said the boy swam off to the breakwall, went over it, and then went under the water at the harbor's channel, but never resurfaced.
There are signs reading "no swimming" in the channel area of the harbor. Police said it's normally reserved for boat raffic.
"That is a designated no-swim area," Florip said.
What followed was an extensive search with SCUBA divers, boats equipped with sonar, and a Coast Guard helicopter; all searching the 20-foot deep waters between the beach and the breakwalls.
Waukegan Fire Chief George Bridges Jr. said, after more than four hours of searching, the effort became a somber task of trying to recover the teen's body.
"There is a current that comes down that channel," he said.
The teen's body was found shortly before 8:30 p.m.
"This is probably the most tragic thing you could ever go through as a family, and our hearts – as a community, and as a law enforcement community, and as the Fire Department – it just goes out to them," Florip said.
The beach and adjoining areas will be open on Saturday.