Boater urges safety after rescuing father, sons on capsized jet ski in Lake Michigan
Kevin Foote and his friends were heading back to Belmont Harbor on a boat on Father's Day
By Jermont Terry
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — Chicago’s lakefront can be quite inviting this time of year, but those who venture out — whether on a boat or a jet ski — are advised they had best be prepared for the worst.
On Father’s Day, Lake Michigan took a dangerous turn for a father and his teenage sons out for a jet ski ride.
Video showed a father and sons in the water after the jet ski flipped.
Kevin Foote and his friends were heading back to Belmont Harbor on a boat on Sunday, when they spotted the jet skiers clearly in distress right at the mouth of the harbor.
“It’s a dangerous spot,” said Foote. “It’s the high-traffic spot where everybody’s going in and out of the harbor — and as I mentioned before, you know, once that jet ski is flipped over and once a person is floating in the water, you’re pretty darn low to the water.”
Such circumstances make it harder for those entering the mouth of the harbor to see other watercraft entering the mouth, Foote explained.
So Foote and his friends decided to help out — and not by jumping in.
“The only thing worse about having somebody in the water is having somebody else in the water,” said Foote.
Foote and his crew are members of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac — so they’re skillful. They blocked the jet skiers from other boaters who might have run into them, and then helped the jet skiers get onto their boat.
“By the time they got out of the water, they were cold,” said Foote, “and you know, flipping one of those things and being in the water is a lot of effort.”
While the yacht club members helped the father and sons, Foote points out the jet skiers were prepared. They all wore life vests.
“You’ve got to make sure it fits, that it’s comfortable, that you’ll actually wear it,” Foote said.
And as more people venture out to Lake Michigan, safety must remain a top priority.
There were 51 drownings in Lake Michigan in 2024, according to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project.
There have been nine already this year.
“I think it also is a great reminder of just what’s in your control and what’s not in your control,” said Foote.
Foote said the father and sons were shaken, but extremely grateful for the help. In this case, everyone walked away safely — but of course, that is not always the case.
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