Barge Crew Helps Rescue 5 People On Ohio River During Storm
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – A group of people fishing on a boat had a terrifying experience when storms moved into the area on Tuesday.
The water was calm Wednesday afternoon on the Ohio River in Beaver County, but that wasn't the case on Tuesday.
"I heard someone scream, pretty much, 'Help me!' said Clifford Smith, one of the men who helped rescue the boaters.
It was on a 15-foot boat, where a husband and his wife, along with another man and his two kids were enjoying the afternoon near Monaca on the Ohio River.
One of them looked at the radar, but at that point, the storm was already upon them. That's where Smith and Joe Yuroski come in. The two guys were in the right place at the right time.
"They started steering towards us because they figured they could get help here, and called out to us, and asked if we could give them shelter," said Yuroski.
The two men, who work for Tri-State River Company, pulled the group onto the barge and secured the boat just in time.
"It was really, really bad after I got them into the lunchroom," said Yuroski. "Then, a big windstorm came down. I firmly believe had they been out there when that hit, they would have been in trouble."
"Probably sat, maybe, a foot out of the water, and the waves were probably two feet," said Smith. "I don't think they would have made it."
The group stayed until the storm passed and headed back to Bridgewater Landings Marina in Beaver.
Apparently, it's not the first time a Tri-State River worker has had to rescue someone. Last time, a couple years ago, a man's boat sank in the middle of the night.
"He ran down, a guy was in the water. His head was busted open," said Yuroski. "He actually saved him. He actually was a hero that night. He actually pulled the guy in, got him up. He even got his dog."
Yuroski says it's inevitable it'll happen again, and they'll be there to help if needed.
"On the river, someone's in distress, especially human life, anyway we can. We've done it before," he says.
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