RedactedNarrative: On June 8th, 2021 at approximately 12:20PM, vessel #1 was operating downstream on the Illinois River from the Stratton Park boat launch looking for a spot to fish. Operator had his grandson as a passenger. They had just purchased the boat over the winter and were unfamiliar with it. Grandson turned on the live well pump to fill the livewell.  They noticed the front livewell was not pumping water in, but the center livewell was. 
  
  A short while later they noticed the back of boat was beginning to fill with water.  They turned on the bilge pump but could not see water coming out the bilge nor saw a difference in the water level. The boat continued to fill with water and began to sink. Operator thought the only life jackets were in the back of the boat under the water. 
  
  The two were picked up by a passing boat who saw them sinking.  The boat sank completely with only the tip of the bow exposed.  They were transported safely back to the Stratton Park  launch. Operator''s daughter had come down to the ramp to drop off her other son to fish as Operator and Grandson were coming back.  She transported Operator to his house to retrieve another set of keys as he lost his truck keys and phone on the boat. In the meantime another boat passing by saw the sunken vessel and called 911.  Morris Fire Department responded and found the sunken vessel just off the south bank upstream of Sugar Island.
  
  CPO and I were able to retrieve the sunken vessel and tow it back to the launch and load on the trailer.  CPO inspected the vessel once it was drained and determined the plug was not inserted into the livewell drain, which drained into the hull of the boat. As the livewell pump was running it continued to fill the hull of the boat with water until it sank.  The livewell pump and bilge pump were no longer working once the boat was recovered.
  