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Highland Park officials ends search for missing swimmer in Lake Michigan

By Lauren Westphal
Updated  August 24, 2025 4:20pm CDT
Missing Persons
FOX 32 Chicago
Search for missing swimmer in Highland Park

Search for missing swimmer in Highland Park

Throughout the day, emergency response dive teams searched for what they called a swimmer in distress.

The Brief

    • A swimmer went missing Saturday near the Openlands Lakeshore Preserve in Fort Sheridan, prompting a multi-agency search by Highland Park officials.
    • Despite sonar technology, an underwater rover, drones, and dive teams, the swimmer was not recovered; strong Lake Michigan currents forced officials to end the search.
    • The swimmer’s identity has not been released, and police continue to investigate the incident.

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. - Due to the speed and strength of Lake Michigan currents, Highland Park officials ended the search for a missing swimmer who was last seen in Lake Michigan near Openlands Lakeshore Preserve in Fort Sheridan on Saturday.

Sonar technology and an underwater rover were deployed and unable to recover the missing swimmer. 

The backstory:

Around noon on Saturday, officials received a report of a distressed swimmer struggling in the water. A bystander tried to help but wouldn't reach the individual due to the strong currents. 

The Highland Park Fire Department water rescue team are currently looking for the swimmer. Highland Police are using a drone to assist with the search.

During the search, a member of the dive team was briefly reported missing, before they were found unharmed.

The identity of the swimmer has not yet been released.

Police are investigating the incident.

Dive teams searched until 6 p.m. Saturday. They resumed the search at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday.

The Source: Details for this story were provided by Highland Park officials.

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