Two teenage girls killed after jet ski crashes into small boat on Illinois lake

Two teenage girls died in Illinois when their WaveRunner collided with a passing boat on a popular lake, police say.

Police told ABC7 the incident involved a 16-year-old from Lake Forest, California, riding a Yamaha WaveRunner with a 13-year-old passenger from Long Grove, Illinois, in the back while the two men were sailing in the waters of Lake Marie.

The teens were heading toward a canal leading to Grass Lake Tuesday when they collided with a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser boat driven by a 55-year-old man.

Witnesses described the speed of the WaveRunner directly on the boat.

“The operator was unable to do anything to stop the boat in time around the jet ski as it approached,” Lake County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Covelli said after the incident.

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the families of the girls and others involved in this tragic boating accident,” the office said in a statement.

The girls, both wearing life jackets, were knocked unconscious in the collision and thrown into the water.

The boaters pulled them out of the water, gave them first aid and called 911.

The teens were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and pronounced dead on arrival. A male patient was transported from the scene to the hospital.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and Illinois Conservation Police are investigating.

Authorities are investigating whether the 16-year-old operating the WaveRunner had a boating safety certificate.

The local coroner's office will conduct autopsies on the victims' bodies on Thursday, according to the Lake and McHenry County Scanner newspaper.