PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria Firefighter/Paramedics were called to a potentially scary scene Thursday afternoon near the McClugage Bridge.
Crews received word around 2:00 a catamaran boat had capsized at the bottom end of the narrows of the Illinois River.
Two companies and Battalion Chief Ralph Phillips found two occupants hanging off the side of the boat.
The responding personnel deployed Marine 1 to get out to the people in distress.
“They had to unfurl the sails and then, because the wind was kind of picking up right there in that spot, they just got it basically tipped it back up on edge and then they were able to go about their way,” Phillips said.
“I think they were trying to turn into the wind, and right there in the narrows, it kind of channels the wind just like it does the water, and they just caught the wind a little bit wrong and it just flopped over onto its side.”
Crews had the sailors on their way within a half an hour.
No injuries were reported. There was no damage to the boat.
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