HAMMOND, IN – Authorities have recovered the bodies of two Illinois men who drowned in Lake Michigan last week. The men were identified as Eduardo Rivera Jr., 45, and Salvador Lopez, 32, both residents of Elk Grove Village, Illinois.
The incident occurred on July 5 when the men, along with ten others, were on a boat trip near Hammond, Indiana. According to officials, Rivera went overboard to swim and began to struggle in the water. In an attempt to assist him, Lopez and another individual also jumped into the lake.
According to a report that was released by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, a third person was rescued by the coast guard and survived the ordeal. He was the only one wearing a life jacket.
Unfortunately, Rivera and Lopez were not found until last Friday, approximately 1.5 miles from their last known location.
Officials have stated that there was no foul play involved in the incident, and alcohol was not a factor. They attributed the tragedy to the hazardous water conditions that day and cautioned the public to be vigilant about weather conditions before venturing into open water.