A tragic boating incident at LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area claimed the lives of two Indiana fishermen this past weekend. The Illinois Conservation Police is currently leading the investigation into the matter.
The two victims were identified as a 53-year-old man from Merrillville and an 80-year-old man from Gary, also in Indiana, who was on a fishing trip with their 7-year-old granddaughter when their 17-foot Crestliner boat overturned on Sunday, according to Illinois government reports. After receiving a distress call, authorities arrived at the scene to find the capsized boat the young girl, who had been wearing a life jacket, was safe on the shore after being aided by park visitors, visitors who had not only gotten the child to safety but also facilitated a connection with her anxious mother and grandmother back home.
While the child's survival is a small mercy in an otherwise heartbreaking event, the search for the two men lasted into the evening until about 7:45 p.m. when their bodies were recovered from the water, as reported by the State of Illinois. The LaSalle County coroner pronounced the men dead at the scene.
