Woman dies after sailboat capsizes in Lake Michigan near Winnetka, officials say

The Chicago Fire Department pronounced a woman dead after the boat she was on capsized in Lake Michigan near Winnetka early Monday morning.

At approximately 2 a.m., an individual also from the capsized sailboat made it to shore near Tower Road Beach and alerted authorities of a missing woman, according to a statement from the Winnetka Fire Department, which with local Coast Guard station in Wilmette and neighboring municipalities launched a search and rescue mission to locate the missing individual and boat.

The Coast Guard eventually pulled a 50-year-old woman from the water a mile offshore north of Winnetka and transported them to Chicago’s Montrose Harbor, the closest location the 45-foot boat could offload, according to the statement.

According to Coast Guard officials, first responders performed CPR while en route to Montrose Harbor and then the individual was placed under the care of local paramedics. Chicago Fire Department officials said the woman was then pronounced deceased.

The two women reportedly set sail on a 12-foot sailboat on Sunday night, launching from Evanston and capsizing near Winnetka around dusk. According to the statement, one passenger swam approximately 2 miles to Tower Road Beach, initiating a search and rescue operation.

The statement says both individuals were wearing life preservers. The boat was reportedly located 2 to 3 miles from shore.

The incident is not related to the search for a missing swimmer in Chicago’s “playpen” area near Oak Street Beach and Navy Pier or to another swimmer pulled from Montrose Harbor on Monday morning.

Stay tuned to TheRecordNorthShore.org as this story develops.

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