Lake Michigan Drowning Prompts New Safety Warnings from Experts

On Monday, someone died after being pulled from Lake Michigan near 31st Street Beach.

Chicago firemen say that a full response was sent to 31st Street Beach just after 2 p.m. because someone was reported to be in the water.

Dozens of firefighters faced the waves of Lake Michigan to try to save a man who looked like he was going to drown.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Monday night that the person had died at the University of Chicago Medical Center at 3:46 p.m., but they did not have any other information to share.

Alex Castillo was close when it took place.

The police told us they were working on him and giving him CPR, and we saw the ambulances. Castillo said this through an interpreter.

At only 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the water was too cold to be safe. Waves were rough because of the strong winds in the area.

“We were just looking to see if he would make it, if he could be saved, because honestly he was in rough shape,” said Castillo.

There was no swim advisory because the beaches in Chicago don’t open until Memorial Day. There aren’t any lifeguards working yet.

The Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project’s Dave Benjamin said that this is the time of year when the most people die.

“What seems like an innocent quick dip in the water can be deadly because the water is so cold, the cold water will shock you and incapacitate your swimming ability,” he said.

Even water as warm as 60 degrees can shock you.

“Someone who is drowning can’t call out for help or wave for help,” Benjamin said. “So people may be watching the person in the water and not even know that they are drowning.” “They just suddenly disappear, they submerge.”

NBC Chicago was told by the Surf and Rescue Project that 8 people have already drowned on the Great Lakes this year. The average is about 100 per year.