Woman dies after sailboat capsizes in Lake Michigan near Winnetka, officials say

Editor's Note: This story first appeared in The North Shore recorda nonprofit community newsroom covering Wilmette and five other North Shore suburbs.

Chicago firefighters say a woman is dead after the boat she was on capsized in Lake Michigan near Winnetka early Monday morning.

Around 2 a.m., an individual also from the capsized sailboat reached shore near Tower Road Beach and alerted authorities to a missing woman, according to a statement from the Winnetka Fire Department, which along with the post Coast Guard location in Wilmette and neighboring municipalities. launched a search and rescue mission to find the missing person and boat.

The Coast Guard eventually pulled a 50-year-old woman from the water a mile north of Winnetka and transported her to Montrose Harbor in Chicago, the closest place the 45-foot boat could unload, according to the press release.

According to Coast Guard officials, first responders performed CPR while en route to the Montrose Harbor and then the individual was placed in the custody of local paramedics. Chicago Fire officials said the woman was later pronounced dead.

The two women reportedly boarded a 12-foot sailboat Sunday evening, launched from Evanston and capsized near Winnetka at dusk. According to the release, a passenger swam approximately 2 miles to Tower Road Beach, initiating a search and rescue operation.

The release states that both individuals were wearing life jackets. The boat would be 2 or 3 miles from shore.

The incident is not related to the search for a missing swimmer in the Chicago “park” area near Oak Street Beach and Navy Pier, nor to another swimmer pulled from Montrose Harbor Monday morning.