Man Dies After Falling Into Freezing Chicago River While Trying to Retrieve His Cellphone

A woman who tried to save him is also presumed dead

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Jim Young / Reuters

A police officer stops to photograph the cracked ice in the Chicago River in Chicago, Illinois, December 19, 2013.

A Minnesota man died after he attempted to save his cellphone from the icy waters of the Chicago River early Monday, CBS Chicago reports. After dropping his phone into the water alongside the city’s Riverwalk area, the 26-year-old climbed over the railing and soon fell into the river.

Witnesses who heard cries for help called 911. The man’s two friends also jumped in after him but were unable to save him. One of them, a 23-year-old male, was hospitalized and is now in stable condition. The other, a 21-year-old female, remains missing and is presumed dead, police said. As of 2 p.m. Monday, her body hadn’t been found.

The victims’ names have not been released. Let this be a reminder: if your phone falls onto the subway tracks, into an icy river or somewhere else where danger is lurking, it’s really just not worth it.

(h/t Gawker)