By Steve Schmadeke
The Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Two Chicago Fire Department divers jumped from a red-and-white helicopter hovering about 10 feet above Lake Michigan on Tuesday and pulled a 50-year-old West Side man from the water about 30 seconds later.

But despite their efforts, Julius Collins of the 2800 block of West Wilcox Street died a short time later, the second drowning victim in five days along the lakefront at Jackson Park near 67th Street and Promontory Drive, authorities said. Collins, who rescuers said was fully dressed, reportedly slipped on a ledge and struck his head on a rock at about 5:30 p.m.

He was thought to have been underwater for about 10 minutes before being taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where he died.

It was starting to rain when firefighters in the Air Sea Rescue team were dispatched from their station in Calumet Park. In minutes, firefighters Wally Gorzek and Joe Gallagher were inside a Bell 412EP helicopter piloted by A.J. Lisanti, the men said. Flying at about 135 m.p.h., the crew, including co-pilot Ken Straman, arrived at the scene in less than 3 minutes.

A battalion chief on the ground directed Lisanti to where witnesses said Collins went into the water. Gorzek and Gallagher jumped into the lake, which they said is about 12 feet deep there. Visibility was about 10 feet and Gallagher quickly spotted Collins' feet in the rock and sand at the lake bottom. The divers, communicating via a wireless radio, swam down and grabbed Collins.

Interviewed at their station later Tuesday, Gorzek called it a "textbook rescue" and Gallagher agreed. They were saddened to learn Collins had died.

"I think we gave him the best chance we could," Gallagher said.

The Fire Department has about 140 divers, said Cmdr. Ron Dorneker, and they spend hundreds of hours each year training.

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