Crews to work to recover fishing boat capsized in Lake Michigan near East Chicago, IN; Thomas Barragan of Oak Forest, IL dead
Share and Follow

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (WLS) — A man is recovering on Saturday morning after a boat capsized in Lake Michigan, killing another man on board.

It happened on Friday afternoon off the coastline near East Chicago, Indiana. Two men were fishing on the vessel when it capsized and went into the water, the Lake County Sheriff’s office said.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Crews are expected to back out on the lake on Saturday morning, working to bring back that boat.

The man who died was later identified as 73-year-old Thomas Barragan of Oak Forest.

Officials say Barragan went missing after the boat capsized. Divers later recovered his body, and he was pronounced dead on the scene.

The other man in the boat at the time is also from Oak Forest, officials said. A good Samaritan rescued him in a different nearby fishing boat.

He was taken to a local hospital in unknown condition, officials said. ABC7 was told he has hypothermia, but is expected to survive.

Officials said there were 5-foot to 6-foot waves on Friday in Lake Michigan at the time, with the water temperature at 37 degrees when the 19-foot fishing vessel flipped near the East Chicago steel mill.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is investigating.

Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Tren de Aragua gang leader charged with racketeering conspiracy and cocaine trafficking under Trump crackdown

Top Leader of Tren de Aragua Gang Faces Charges for Racketeering and Cocaine Trafficking in Trump-Era Crackdown

In New York, federal officials have revealed charges against the head of…
Trump reclassifies marijuana defying dire Republican warnings

Trump Reclassifies Marijuana, Challenging Republican Concerns

President Donald Trump took a significant step on Thursday by signing an…
Terrifying maps show exactly who is at risk of new 'super flu' in US

Detailed Maps Reveal Populations at Risk from Emerging ‘Super Flu’ in the United States

The holiday season often brings about travel and the joy of reuniting…
In recorded message, Rob Reiner urges resiliency for Holocaust survivors at Hanukkah event

Rob Reiner Advocates for Holocaust Survivors’ Resilience in Hanukkah Event Address

JERUSALEM (AP) — In a poignant video message recorded just weeks before…
Can Maduro survive as Trump's oil pressure campaign hits his regime’s weak spot?

Will Maduro Withstand Trump’s Intensified Oil Sanctions Targeting Venezuela’s Vulnerable Economy?

For many years, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has managed to withstand numerous…
'My dad is dead': Slain Jacksonville musician's family demands arrest in road rage shooting

Family of Slain Jacksonville Musician Urges Arrest in Fatal Road Rage Incident

The family of Joe Starkey, a beloved musician in Jacksonville, has expressed…
A business jet crashed while landing at an airport in North Carolina, erupting in a large fire

Tragic Jet Crash Sparks Intense Fire During North Carolina Airport Landing

Tragedy struck in North Carolina as a small jet crash claimed the…
Brian Walshe sentenced to life in prison without parole for grisly murder of his wife

Brian Walshe’s Chilling Life Sentence: Unraveling the Grisly Murder That Shook a Nation

A man from the Boston region was sentenced to life imprisonment in…