Antioch snowmobiler falls through thin ice

A snowmobiler was airlifted to a hospital after being rescued from the icy waters of Lake Marie in Antioch Wednesday night.

Antioch and Fox Lake fire departments responded to a call for a snowmobiler through the ice about 6:30 p.m. A young man, possibly a teenager, was found conscious but stuck chest-deep in the frigid water.

Antioch Fire Department spokesman Chris Lienhardt said rescuers donned exposure suits and worked for around 15 minutes to free the man from the water. He was brought to shore and quickly airlifted by helicopter to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. His condition is unknown.

Leinhardt said the ice on area lakes is not nearly thick enough yet to support snowmobiling and warns people they are putting not only their safety at risk, but also the safety of squads responding to rescue calls.