Man Dies After Jumping Into Lake Michigan At Diversey Harbor Tuesday

By Gwendolyn Purdom in News on Aug 17, 2016 2:32PM

Lake Michigan has taken another life. A 27-year-old man died Tuesday after being pulled from Diversey Harbor, where he had been hanging out with friends. ABC7 reports the man jumped into the harbor at around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday and had to be rescued by a marine unit. He died a short time later at nearby St. Joseph hospital.

The death is the latest in a year when Lake Michigan has seen 28 drownings so far, according to non-profit Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, and a number of bodies washing up on its shores. The lake is the deadliest of its fellow Great Lakes by far: The number of Lake Michigan drownings and water rescues is almost as much as the other four Great Lakes combined since 2010.

Experts told the Tribune in July that the lake's shape make it particularly susceptible to dangerous conditions like strong tides, fierce waves and unexpected currents. The lake's long stretches of beaches also mean it draws more visitors and swimmers.