Northwestern community mourns the loss of Mohammed Ramzan

10 P.M. - UPDATE FROM PATRICIA TELLES-IRVIN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

I am deeply saddened to report tonight that authorities have recovered the body of Mohammed Ramzan from the North Shore Channel in Lincolnwood.

Mohammed, 19, was missing after he fell overboard while practicing with Northwestern University’s club crew team this morning on the North Shore Channel. We have been keeping his family apprised of the situation as Illinois State Police and suburban police and fire and rescue units searched all day for him.

We extend our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to Mohammed’s family and friends for this tragic loss, which affects us all, and we urge all members of our community to reach out and support one another.

We are grateful to Northwestern University Police, Illinois State Police and all the law enforcement agencies and fire departments involved in the search. We extend our thoughts and support to everyone who knew Mohammed during his time here.

7 P.M. - MESSAGE FROM PATRICIA TELLES-IRVIN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

We learned today the very difficult news that Mohammed Ramzan, 19, is missing after he fell overboard while practicing with Northwestern University’s club crew team on the North Shore Channel in Lincolnwood.

A search has been underway since this morning for Mohammed, and Illinois State Police and suburban police and fire rescue units continue to coordinate their efforts at the site. Mohammed enrolled as a first-year in the current class and is from Auburn, Washington.

Mohammed is still missing. Authorities are now describing the effort as a search and recovery operation.

We are keeping Mohammed’s family apprised of the situation. I extend our thoughts and support to his family and his many friends, peers and faculty at Northwestern.

We are grateful to Northwestern University Police and all the other law enforcement agencies and fire departments that are involved in the search for Mohammed. Their work, along with that of our Student Affairs staff — and the interest and support we have seen from our students — is a reminder of the strong mutual support in the Northwestern family. 

This terribly difficult search and recovery effort will affect many of us deeply, and I urge you to contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 847-491-215; the Dean of Students Office at 847-491-8430; or the Chaplain’s staff at 847-491-7256 if you feel the need to do so. You can also find additional services and resources at NUhelp or on the NUhelp app. 

12:30 P.M. - STATEMENT BY ALAN K. CUBBAGE, VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

A member of the Northwestern University men’s crew team fell from the team shell while practicing Monday morning in the North Shore Channel in Lincolnwood and is missing.

Police and fire rescue units are searching the area where the incident occurred on the North Shore Channel, in the vicinity of Pratt Avenue and McCormick Boulevard.

A coach in a separate boat who was accompanying the shell and a member of the team went into the water in an effort to rescue the student.

The crew team began its practice early in the morning from the Skokie Park District Rowing Center located at McCormick Boulevard and Oakton Street.

The crew athletes are members of a club sport at Northwestern. Crew is not a varsity sport at the University. Northwestern has had a club crew since the 1980s, and no serious incidents have occurred during that time. The boat involved had nine students in it — an eight-man shell with a coxswain.

Illinois State Police is the lead investigating agency. Police, fire and rescue teams from numerous suburbs on are on site.