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Illinois Casino Boat Captain Fired

ALTON, Illinois – As reported by the (River Bend, Illinois) Telegraph: "The captain of the Alton Belle Casino disclosed Thursday that he had been fired in the wake of his involvement in the Sept. 28 rescue of boaters who had crashed into the Melvin Price Dam.

"Capt. John Mosele, 52, of Godfrey, said the casino's owners, Argosy Gaming Co., fired him Oct. 31 because of the rescue. He said he was given no further explanation and was simply told the gaming boat no longer needed his services.

"…However, sources who were at the scene that night said Mosele was fired because he left his post on the Alton Belle and went onboard the Anastasia paddle wheeler, which headed toward the dam. The Belle already had dispatched two johnboats, manned by two crewmen apiece, to the dam to assist in the rescue.

"…Bob Peyman, captain of the Anastasia, said the Alton Fire Department contacted Mosele at the Belle for assistance on the night of the boat crash, which killed four people. Peyman said that after Mosele sent the johnboats, the casino captain contacted him for assistance. Peyman had served under Mosele on the Belle as a deckhand, second mate and first mate for many years.

"Peyman said it was Mosele's idea to try to use the Anastasia to recover victims of the boat crash.

"…Peyman said the action to try to use the Anastasia made sense, because the boat is heated and previously has been used as a staging area for rescue attempts.

"…Both Peyman and Mosele cited a letter of thanks to Argosy from the Alton Fire Department for Alton Belle employees' help the night of the boat crash…"

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