The swamping of this watercraft took place during what is known as the "Redneck Fishing Tournament".  During this tournament, watercraft run "heats", anywhere from 10 to 15 boats in a "heat" trying to catch Asian carp with landing nets in a narrow chute off of the Illinois river.  The watercraft during these heats operate very close to one another and even sometimes strike each other's watercraft.  During this incident the operator on unit 1 stated she was heading Northbound in the Bath chute with all the other watercraft.  The occupants of her watercraft were not "fishing" in the tournament but were filming the event for ESPN.  They were on the Westside of the chute with a cabin cruiser in front of them and a pontoon boat ahead and to the West of their location all going the same direction.  The next thing the operator of unit one knows is she strikes a large wake, from what she believes to be from the cabin cruiser, and water comes over the bow and into the watercraft.  She continues to strike more wakes from the watercraft ahead of her and causes her watercraft to completely submerged.  Some occupants of the watercraft put on lifejackets.  All the occupants were picked up from out of the water by another watercraft and taken to shore.  The operator of unit one was able to mark the location where her watercraft went down.
     The motor on this watercraft was a 2008 Evinrude 90 hp ETEC with a model number of E90DPLSCB purchased for $6,323.  The watercraft itself was purchased for $2,600.  This watercraft was located by myself and CPO  on 8/16/2010 by the use of side scan sonar.  The owner of the watercraft was able to have her watercraft recovered on 8/17/2010 with the help from divers from the Sangamon County  Dive Team.
Bath                          