The coroner has released the identity of a 20-year-old man who died after he was rescued from Lake Michigan while swimming at the Illinois Beach State Park near Zion.
The Winthrop Harbor Fire Department and Zion Fire and Rescue Department responded around 6:26 p.m. Tuesday to the Illinois Beach State Park, 1 Lake Front Drive in unincorporated Zion, for a report of a water rescue.
Zion Fire and Rescue Department Deputy Chief Eric Troy said reports indicated a swimmer had gone underwater on Lake Michigan and did not resurface at the North Unit beach.
Winthrop Harbor Fire Chief Rocco Campanella said he arrived at the scene first and bystanders, including an off-duty firefighter, directed first responders to the area of the missing swimmer.
Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek identified the swimmer on Wednesday as Luis Espinoza Contreras, 20, of Waukegan.
Troy said the response was upgraded through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to the box alarm level to bring additional resources to the scene from surrounding fire departments in Lake and Kenosha counties.
Water conditions were calm with light winds and it was deemed safe enough for a rescue attempt, Campanella said, adding that crews had identified an accurate last seen point.
A Winthrop Harbor fire diver was deployed and a Winthrop Harbor fire boat arrived.
The diver located Espinoza Contreras approximately 10 feet below the water surface and brought the victim to the fire boat.
Campanella said Espinoza Contreras was brought to paramedics on shore where advanced life support was initiated on the beach.
An ambulance rushed him to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan in critical condition. Espinoza Contreras was later pronounced dead in the emergency room.
Troy said several recreational boaters in the area attempted to assist during the rescue.
“While their intentions were appreciated, such involvement can create serious hazards for rescue divers operating beneath the surface,” he said.
Campanella said that Zion and Winthrop Harbor fire departments responded jointly to the incident, which occurred on Lake Michigan, where no fire department in the area has jurisdiction but they respond to emergencies there anyway.
An autopsy performed Wednesday on Espinoza Contreras showed his death was consistent with drowning, Banek said.
Troy said that while the recent restoration of the Illinois Beach State Park has created an attractive and inviting shoreline, the lake can be “deceptively dangerous,” even on calm days.
“Swimmers are urged to exercise extreme caution, as hazardous currents may be present even when not visibly apparent. Use of personal flotation devices is strongly recommended for all individuals entering the water,” he added.
The incident remains under investigation by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police and the Lake County Coroner’s Office.