Sheriff’s Office and Illinois Conservation Police are investigating an evening jet ski crash that resulted in the deaths of two children in Lake Marie southwest of downtown Antioch, and about two miles south of the Illinois-Wisconsin state line.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Marine Unit and Patrol Division and firefighters and fire agency boat crews responded about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, 2024 to a report of a jet ski versus boat crash that occurred on Lake Marie with the victims rescued by civilians and transported by boats to the Sandbar on Lake Marie (a bar & grill). A 16-year-old girl from Lake Forest, California and a 13-year-old girl from Long Grove were on the jet ski, and both were killed in the crash.
The identities of the victims were not initially released.
Witnesses reported the jet ski was traveling at a high rate of speed, directly toward the Sea Ray. The operator of the Sea Ray was unable to avoid a collision, and the two watercrafts struck each other. Both occupants of the jet ski, who were wearing life vests, were knocked unconscious and thrown into the water. There were a total of four occupants on the Sea Ray and they immediately pulled the girls from the water, called 911, and rendered aid. One of the girls was transported to the shore by the operator of the Sea Ray and the other girl was transported by the operator of another passing boat.
Initial radio report at about 5:21 p.m. indicated the rescue of the teen girls by civilians was moving to the Sandbar on Lake Marie (a bar and grill). Ambulances were dispatched to the Sandbar on Lake Marie (bar and grill).
The girls were transported to Level 1 Trauma Center Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, and both were pronounced deceased after arriving at Condell. No other injuries were reported as a result of the crash.
Preliminary investigation shows the 16-year-old was operating the Yamaha jet ski and the 13-year-old was the passenger. They were traveling in a northerly direction near the channel to Grass Lake, just north of the Elime Road Peninsula. At the same time a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser, being operated by a 55-year-old man of Antioch was traveling westbound in the same area, approaching the Grass Lake Channel.
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