Boaters Rescued Near Dam on Fox River: Fire Officials

ST. CHARLES, IL — Three people were rescued but their boat went over the dam along the Fox River in St. Charles after the group got caught on the river during a storm Sunday afternoon, fire officials said. The St. Charles Fire Department was called to the river at 1:23 p.m. on Sunday where they found the disabled boat with two adults and a teen on board about 1,000 yards north of the dam. Authorities later learned the group's boat experienced engine problems while on the river when the storm hit.

People along the shore noticed their struggles and called 911, according to the news release.

"The anchor line for the boat was not holding and the strong winds from the approaching storm were blowing the boat towards the dam," according to a news release from the St. Charles Fire Department.

Firefighters launched a rescue boat from Pottawatomie Park and reached the boat just as it approached the dam. All three people on board the boat were rescued but the boat went over the dam, ending up upside down in the water just north of the bridge, according to the news release.

All three were wearing life jackets and were wet from the storm and distressed from the close call but were not physically injured, fire officials said.