Sarina Vootkur : Tragic Teen Jet Ski Crash at Lake: Fatal Boat Collision

Authorities in Illinois are currently investigating a devastating incident that occurred on Lake Marie, involving a fatal collision between a jet ski and a boat earlier this week in Antioch.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s marine unit swiftly responded to a distress call reporting a collision between a jet ski and a boat on Tuesday evening.

The tragic accident involved two young girls, 16-year-old Sarina Vootkur and 13-year-old Elle Kim, who were on the jet ski at the time of the collision. The boat was being operated by a 55-year-old man as they approached the Gass Lake Channel.

Eyewitnesses to the incident reported that the jet ski was travelling at a high speed directly towards the boat, leaving the man unable to avoid the collision.

Vootkur was operating the jet ski with Kim as her passenger. Despite both girls wearing life vests, the impact of the collision caused them to be knocked unconscious and thrown into the water.

The boat, carrying four individuals, acted swiftly to rescue the girls from the water, providing immediate aid and contacting emergency services.

Following the rescue, one of the girls was taken back to shore by the boat’s operator, while the other was assisted by a passing vessel. Tragically, despite efforts to save them, both girls were pronounced dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital.

The Lake County Coroner’s Office later confirmed that the teens had succumbed to blunt force injuries sustained in the collision.

The investigation into the tragic incident is ongoing, with both the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois Conservation Police working together to determine the cause of the collision.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has extended its deepest condolences to the families of the girls and all those affected by this heart-wrenching boat crash.