ANTIOCH (June 24, 2024) – Two teenage girls ages 13 and 16 were killed while riding a Yamaha WaveRunner jet ski after crashing into a boat on Lake Marie. Fox News reports that the older of the two was operating the vehicle while the 13-year-old sat as the passenger.
The teens were driving Northbound at a high rate of speed towards the channel to Grass Lake while a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser happened to be entering the same area. The Sea Ray was driven by a 55-year-old man.
Witnesses recount that the WaveRunner appeared to be headed directly for the Sea Ray, and, unable to avoid each other, the two watercrafts crashed.
The collision occurred around 5:15 p.m. and NBC5 reports that the two girls were knocked unconscious and thrown into the water.
Four Sea Ray passengers promptly pulled the girls out of the water, dialed 911 and administered first aid. The Sea Ray transported one girl to shore while a nearby boat took the other girl ashore, according to Fox News.
The teens were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center and were both pronounced dead at the hospital.
“(It) just seems to be a tragic, unfortunate accident” said Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Chris Covelli. Because the Yamaha was traveling at such a high speed, “there was nothing (the Sea Ray operator) could do to stop the boat in time or maneuver around the WaveRunner as it approached.”
MSN reports autopsies were performed Thursday morning, and the Lake County Coroner’s Office concluded that the deaths were due to blunt force trauma, stated ABC13.
No other injuries were reported and the crash remains under investigation.
