Three swimmers rescued, one missing in Lake Michigan near Evanston

Evanston firefighters called off a search hours after a swimmer went missing near Lighthouse Beach Sunday night, officials said.

First responders arrived at the beach around 4 p.m. after receiving a distress call about four swimmers struggling in the water, the Evanston Fire Department said in a statement released Sunday evening. Before their arrival, a woman and two teenage girls were rescued by a community member; one of the teenagers was taken to hospital.

A fourth swimmer, a 41-year-old man, was still missing after the Evanston Fire Department — with support from the Wilmette Fire Department, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Chicago Fire Department — used drones, a helicopter and a sonar to try to locate him, officials said. The search was called off around 9 p.m. due to water conditions, officials said, but “recovery” efforts were expected to resume in the morning.

A red flag was raised on the beach, meaning swimming is prohibited due to high winds and dangerous swimming conditions, authorities said.