Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

06/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/26/2026 15:38

Conservation police investigating fatal boat crash on Lake Michigan in Chicago

SPRINGFIELD - Illinois Conservation Police are investigating a two-vessel crash that occurred on Lake Michigan near Monroe Harbor in Chicago late Thursday.

One person, a 26-year-old Chicago woman, has died from injuries suffered in the crash.

First responders were summoned to the lake just before midnight for reports of a boat collision with multiple injuries.

According to conservation police, a 33-foot cabin cruiser motorboat carrying nine passengers struck a smaller vessel carrying five passengers. All five passengers were rushed to local hospitals for medical attention. The 26-year-old victim was pronounced dead at one of the hospitals. All passengers on the larger vessel declined medical attention at the scene.

The smaller vessel was heavily damaged. An investigation is ongoing. Additional responding agencies included the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Coast Guard. Illinois Conservation Police are a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

About IDNR


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources was established in 1925 as the Illinois Department of Conservation, bringing under one umbrella oversight of fish and game, forestry, public works, and lakes. Today, IDNR's work encompasses management of about 400 sites across Illinois, including state parks and historic sites; wildlife, fisheries, forestry, and natural heritage; Lake Michigan water allocation and coastal management; conservation police; mines and minerals; oil and gas; issuance of licenses, permits, and numerous grants; the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta; and the Illinois State Museum. Visit https://dnr.illinois.gov and follow us on Facebook , YouTube and LinkedIn .
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency published this content on June 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on June 26, 2026 at 21:38 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]