Three rescued from boat before it plunges over St. Charles dam

Three people were rescued Sunday afternoon as their boat drifted dangerously close to the Fox River Dam in St. Charles, authorities said.

St. Charles Fire Department rescue crews called to the scene at 1:24 p.m. arrived to find two adults and a teenager in a boat having engine trouble about 1,000 yards north of the dam, according to the fire department. The boat's anchor line wasn't holding and strong winds from storms in the area were blowing the boat toward the dam, authorities said.

Firefighters launched a rescue boat from Pottawatomie Park and reached the boaters as their vessel neared to the dam, officials said. The empty boat later went over the dam and remained upside down in the water near a bridge Sunday afternoon.

The three people were taken to the dock behind the police department for treatment from paramedics. They were wet from the storm and distressed but not physically injured, authorities said.