A 16-year-old girl from Lake Forest was among two teenagers killed in a Jet Ski collision in Illinois on Tuesday, authorities said.
Around 5 p.m., the girl was operating a Yamaha Jet Ski on Lake Marie with a 13-year-old girl from Illinois riding as a passenger, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli. The pair were riding near the channel to Grass Lake, north of Elime Road Peninsula, while a Sea Ray Cabin Cruiser was traveling west in the same area.
Witnesses told authorities that the Jet Ski was traveling at a high rate of speed toward the Sea Ray, with the 55-year-old operator unable to avoid the Jet Ski colliding into the boat.
The teens, both wearing life vests, were knocked unconscious and thrown into the water, Covelli said.
The four people aboard the Sea Ray pulled the girls from the water and rendered aid until authorities arrived. One girl was taken to shore by the boat operator while the other girl was taken to shore by another passing boat.
Both girls were pronounced dead at the hospital.
They were identified on Thursday as Sarina Vootkur, of Lake Forest, and Elle Kim, of Long Grove, Illinois.
No one else involved in the collision was injured.
A GoFundMe for Vootkur was organized by her boyfriend.
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