A 17-year-old boy was pronounced dead Wednesday night after being pulled from the water at Lighthouse Beach in Evanston, officials said.
Shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday, the Evanston Fire Department was alerted to Lighthouse Beach for a report of a teenage boy who had gone underwater along the break wall on the north side of the beach, officials said.
The first arriving rescuers arrived shortly before 9 p.m. and started a water recovery. A drone with infrared technology was deployed to the search as well as marine units and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, officials said.
Due to poor water conditions Wednesday, rescuers quickly shifted to the south side of the beach where the teenage boy was found shortly before 9:30 p.m. about 30 yards off the break wall, officials said.
The Evanston Fire Department began advanced life support measures before taking the victim to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The victim was identified as Sameer Quadri of Evanston, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at 9:55 p.m. at Evanston Hospital.
In recent days, the National Weather Service issued beach advisories warning of life-threatening conditions at beaches in northern and central Cook Counties. All Evanston beaches were closed until 10 a.m. Thursday, officials said.
The Evanston Fire Department urges all residents and visitors to heed to beach warnings for their own safety.
