A man died Tuesday afternoon at 12th Street Beach on Chicago's Northerly Island near Adler Planetarium after a witness said two men jumped into Lake Michigan despite warnings to stay out of the water.
The Chicago Fire Department said they rushed the two men to the hospital, but one of them died.
"He was huffing and puffing, and the other one, 35 minutes later at least, they pulled him out and they started trying to relieve him," said Sebastian Reyes, who told NBC Chicago he witnessed the incident.
Meanwhile, first responders in Beverly Shores, Indiana, are still searching for a missing 17-year-old who went under water Tuesday afternoon near the Indiana Dunes, but conditions Wednesday on Lake Michigan kept rescuers on the shore.
"Water is still a little rough, the boats can’t get close enough to shore to do any productive search," said Fire Chief Jay Craig Jr of Porter, Indiana.
Unlike Illinois beaches, which have red flag systems to warn swimmers when it's not safe to go in the water, Indiana officials said their beaches have no flags.
"There’s no flagging system," said Fire Chief Andy Himan of Beverly Shores, Indiana. "They don't ever close the beaches, with the exception of the State Park."
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Dave Benjamin with the Great Lakes Surf Water Rescue Project said that although some beaches have life rings, he's concerned about the lack of lifeguards in Indiana.
"There should be someone here. We have a person, unfortunately tragic, a 17-year-old boy is in the water right now, missing," Benjamin said.
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“This is a very steep beach," he said. "You go 10 feet out, it's going to be six feet deep. So, your young child gets pulled out just a few feet, they're in over their head."
The Great Lakes Surf Water Rescue Project said at least 37 people have drowned in Lake Michigan so far this year.
