Evanston police, firefighters search for missing swimmer at Lighthouse Beach – NBC Chicago

Due to difficult conditions, the Evanston Fire Department suspended the search for a missing swimmer on Lake Michigan on Sunday evening.

The swimmer, a 41-year-old man, was last seen near Lighthouse Beach around 4 p.m. He was pulled underwater along with an adult woman and two teenagers, officials said.

Both the girls and the woman were rescued by a passerby, said Captain Jeff Boetto of the Evanston Fire Department.

While rescue teams were being pulled from the water late Sunday evening, firefighters were still trying to locate the swimmer using sonar technology. Recovery operations were expected to resume on Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Boetto described the dangerous conditions in detail, explaining that there was no visibility at all on the water.

“When we arrived, there were 4 to 5 foot waves in the water and a 14.5 knot wind from the northwest. So these have been very difficult conditions since we’ve been here…” Boetto said.

Evanston police reported in a post on X that rescue crews were on Lake Michigan beach around 4:30 p.m. searching for a swimmer.

The beach was closed and people were asked to avoid the area.

A Chicago Fire Department helicopter and an Evanston Fire Department drone were deployed to assist in the search effort, authorities said. Residents and visitors were also asked to avoid the Church Street boat ramp because additional search and rescue crews were there, police said.