A man was rescued after falling off a boat he was driving in Lake Michigan Friday.
Just before 11 a.m. a fleet of first responders descended on 31st Street Harbor after receiving a 911 call reporting a man had fallen overboard about 10 miles off shore.
Chicago Fire Department Chief Ron Dornecker said two friends were out on a sailboat when high winds brought an unexpected wave bumping into the vessel, causing the captain to fall into the water.
The man was not wearing a life vest, Dornecker said, and his friend left on the boat didn't know how to sail.
The boat drifted more than a mile away from the man as the Chicago Fire Department launched a "full scale air and water search."
The man was found after treading in deep water for nearly 30 minutes before being rescued, officials said.
Dornecker noted the man was "very lucky" that the summer heat had recently warmed the water temperature to more than 70 degrees. He hopes the experience will serve as a warning to others who venture out on the water.
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“Here's an example of someone who didn't know they were going to end up in the water and [that is] why we recommend wearing a personal flotation device,” Dornecker said. “You never know when that wave is going to hit the boat [or when you could] end up in the water unexpectedly.”
