Two teen girls killed after their jet ski smashes into a small boat on Illinois lake

Police said boaters were unable to avoid fatal collision with teenagers on Lake Marie

Two teen girls died in Illinois when their WaveRunner collided with a passing boat on a popular lake, according to police.

Police told ABC7 the incident involved a 16-year-old from Lake Forest, California, driving a Yamaha WaveRunner with a 13-year-old passenger from Long Grove, Illinois, on the back, as the pair navigated the waters of Lake Marie.

The teens were traveling towards a channel that led to Grass Lake on Tuesday when they collided with a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser boat operated by a 55-year-old man.

Witnesses described the WaveRunner speed directly at the boat.

"The operator, there was nothing they could do to stop the boat in time around the wave runner as it approached," Lake County Deputy Chief Sheriff Chris Covelli said after the incident.

Police respond to the scene of a boat crash on Lake Marie in Illinois, where two girls on a jet ski died after colliding with a boat on June 28, 2024 (ABC7 Chicago)

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office extends its condolences to the families of the girls and others involved in this tragic boat crash,” his office said in a statement.

The girls, both of whom were wearing life vests, were knocked unconscious in the collision and thrown into the water.

The boaters pulled them out of the water, gave first aid, and called 911.

The teens were taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and pronounced dead on arrival. A male patient was transported from the scene to the hospital.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Illinois Conservation Police are investigating.

Officials are investigating whether the 16-year-old driving the WaveRunner had a boating safety certificate.

The local coroner’s office will perform autopsies on the bodies of the victims on Thursday, according to the Lake & McHenry County Scanner newspaper.