Woman dies, 6 people hospitalized after boat hits Chicago breakwall and capsizes in Lake Michigan

CHICAGO — A woman died and six other people were hospitalized after a boat struck a Chicago breakwall early Friday and capsized in Lake Michigan amid strong winds and high waves, authorities said.

Chicago Deputy District Fire Chief Jason Lach said there was “a huge increase in wind and wave activity” with winds up to 30 mph (48 kph) around the time the boat struck the wall and capsized.

The seven boaters were returning to shore about 4 a.m. when their boat hit the breakwall, police and Chicago Fire Department Chief Juan Hernandez told the Chicago Sun-Times.

A woman who was about 20 did not survive after she became trapped under the boat, which capsized near Chicago's “Playpen” area, where boaters frequently gather near the shoreline, officials said.

Her body was recovered after a search was briefly suspended because of bad weather, Chicago police said.

The six other boaters, four women and two men between the ages of 20 and 30, were rescued from the lake, including one person who swam to shore. They were hospitalized and Hernandez said one of the six was in serious condition at Northwestern Memorial Hospital while the others were in fair to serious condition.