A 16-year-old boy went missing on Sunday while swimming in the turbulent waters of Lake Michigan near Rainbow Beach Park. The Chicago Police reported that he was last seen around 3:42 p.m. in the 3100 block of East 77th Street when he submerged and failed to come back up, according to a statement obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times. Search efforts led by the Chicago Fire Department divers were initiated but had to be halted as "inclement weather conditions" interfered with the rescue operations.
The search for the teen proved to be challenging due to the adverse weather conditions on the lake. The National Weather Service had reported waves reaching heights of up to 10 feet and issued warnings against swimming. "Stay out of the water," as stated by the Chicago Sun-Times, acknowledging at least one water rescue that day before the incident involving the teenager.
Area Two detectives are now engaging in the case to determine the whereabouts and the events leading up to the disappearance of the 16-year-old, the search, having been scaled back due to the stormy lake conditions. Reports from WGN-TV confirmed that despite the comprehensive search efforts by divers, the boy was not found.
