CHESTERTON, Ind. — A 72-year-old man from Illinois is in critical condition after being pulled from Lake Michigan by conservation officers and an off-duty Indy firefighter Sunday while visiting the Indiana Dunes.
Indiana Conservation Officers on patrol at Indiana Dunes State Park were called around 10:30 a.m. Sunday to the beach area after a state park Lifeguard was notified that the man had gone under the water and not resurfaced.
Lifeguards immediately started a search of the swim area, DNR said, as conservation officers and Porter County first responders arrived to the scene. Lifeguards found the man around 15 minutes later under approximately 7 feet of water in an area 100 feet from shore.
Lifeguards brought the 72-year-old to the surface and started CPR while bringing him to shore. On the beach, a DNR conservation officer and an off-duty firefighter from the Indianapolis Fire Department continued CPR.
First responders from the Porter Fire Department and Porter County EMS continued advanced care, and the man was transported to Northwest Health Porter Hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The man’s identity has not been released and DNR said this is an ongoing investigation. No other information is available.
