ANTIOCH AREA, CALIFORNIA – Authorities in Lake County have confirmed the identities of the two teenagers who lost their lives in a tragic boating accident this week. They were close friends enjoying a sunny day at a lakeside cabin before the unfortunate incident occurred.
The coroner’s office identified the victims as Sarina Vootkur, 16, from Lake Forest, California, and Elle Kim, 13, from Long Grove, Illinois. Both died from blunt force injuries after the jet ski they were riding collided with a cabin cruiser on Lake Marie near Antioch.
Vootkur was piloting the jet ski with Kim as her passenger. The accident happened at the southern end of Lake Marie, near the channel leading to Grass Lake, part of the Chain O Lakes. Witnesses reported that the jet ski was traveling northbound at high speed when it struck the 21-foot cruiser around 5:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Following the impact, both girls were thrown into the water. The occupants of the cabin cruiser rescued them and provided immediate first aid. Despite these efforts, Vootkur and Kim were transported to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where they were pronounced dead from their injuries.
The jet ski belonged to the cabin owners the families were visiting. Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli of the Sheriff’s Office stated that investigators are working to reconstruct the moments leading up to the accident. According to boating regulations, the jet ski should have yielded to the cabin cruiser.
The cabin cruiser was carrying four people, including its operator, a 55-year-old man from Antioch. None of the boat’s occupants were injured.
This tragic accident highlights the importance of safety and adherence to boating regulations on our lakes. Authorities continue to investigate to clarify all details of this tragic incident.
