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Man Dies After Being Pulled from Lake Michigan

By  Alex Parker  and Serena Dai | June 6, 2013 5:55pm | Updated on June 6, 2013 7:08pm

 Divers searched for the man for 30 minutes before finding him face-down and unconscious.
Fire department divers rescue man
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CHICAGO — A man died after being pulled from Lake Michigan near Belmont Harbor Thursday, fire officials said.

Rescue crews responded to a report of a person in the water shortly after 5 p.m. Divers searched for the person and performed CPR on him before transporting the victim to St. Joseph Hospital in Lincoln Park in "very critical condition", fire officials said.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Hopsital at 6:02 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office.

The identity of the man was unknown.

A strong current moved the man from where he was originally spotted, making the search more difficult. Teams made a few passes and had to turn over rocks to find the man.

After 30 minutes, diver Enrique Carrillo found the man face down and unconscious at the bottom of the lake.

A 17-year veteran of the fire department, it was Carrillo's first dive rescue.

Deputy Chief Ron Dorneker said the water was cold - about 50 degrees - and the current was strong.

"It's cold water. That'll zap your strength," he said.

The department's search was made easier by the witness who stayed on the scene to direct rescue crews. Dorneker said that was the right thing to do, advising good Samaritans to not try and attempt a rescue on their own.