Crews suspend search for 2 men missing in Lake Michigan near Hammond, officials say

HAMMOND, Ind. (WLS) -- Our coverage of this new story has moved here.

Water crews searched for two men who went missing in Lake Michigan after multiple people jumped off of a boat to swim Friday afternoon in Northwest Indiana, officials said.

The search was suspended for the evening and will resume Saturday morning, authorities told ABC7.

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Windy conditions certainly played a factor and the water is barely 70 degrees.

Authorities said there were 12 people on the boat around 2:30 p.m. when one man jumped off to go swimming. That person struggled to stay afloat, so two others jumped in to help.

"Because of the wind and the waves all three individuals and the boat got separated so they began to drift in the water," said Indiana Conservation Officer Alex Neel.

Police said the third person who jumped in was the only one wearing a life jacket. He was later rescued by the Coast Guard, then treated and released from a nearby hospital.

The other two men are still missing. ABC7 was told one man is from Elk Grove Village and the other is from Mt. Prospect.

Police said no foul play is suspected and they do not believe alcohol was a factor; it was simply because of the dangerous water conditions. They ask everyone to pay attention to forecasts before heading out into Lake Michigan.

Rescue crews will resume the search for the missing men in Saturday morning.