Two NFL players -- Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper -- among group of missing boaters

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Two NFL players -- Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper -- among group of missing boaters



BY HELEN KENNEDY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, March 1st 2009, 2:21 PM

Two pro football players were reported missing in rough seas off Florida today, a day after their fishing boat failed to return to harbor.
A massive Coast Guard search was under way.
Authorities said the party of four boaters included Detroit Lions free agent Corey Smith and Oakland Raiders linebacker Victor "Marquis" Cooper.

The other two passengers were a man named Nick Skyler and an unidentified fourth man.
The foursome set out from Clearwater, Fla., at 6:30 a.m. Saturday in a 21-foot, center-console boat. The forecast at the time said foul weather was heading into the Gulf of Mexico.

The boat did not come back, and the Coast Guard was alerted at 1:30 a.m. today. A search began about 2 a.m., covering about 750 square miles of choppy ocean.

The Coast Guard deployed a 47-foot boat, a helicopter, airplane and cutter.
Winds of 45 mph and waves ranging from 6- to 10-feet high with white caps were reported.
Cooper is a Raiders linebacker in the 2008 season who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005.
Smith is a Lions defensive end who played for the Buccaneers from 2002 to 2004.

Smith's agent told the Detroit Free Press he spoke to his client Friday and he was getting ready for the 2009 NFL season.
"My thoughts and prayers are with Corey and the other people on the boat right now," the agent, Ron Del Duca, told the paper.
"I have been in touch with the Coast Guard, and they are using all available resources to locate these guys."
with News Wire Services

 

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Word has it that the Buccaneers may have picked them up.

 

[IronAddict]

Word on the street is they set sail for Columbia, Medellin to be exact.

 

[mboley370]

I hope someone finds them that is terrible.


Matt

 

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On a serouis note...
Coast Guard: Boat has been found, awaiting word on Marquis Cooper, Nick Schuyler in serious condition 3 mins ago video

 

[IronAddict]

On a serouis note...
Coast Guard: Boat has been found, awaiting word on Marquis Cooper, Nick Schuyler in serious condition 3 mins ago video

That's good to hear. Serious condition, at least they're alive

 

[Little Wing]

Nick Schuyler, boat found; Corey Smith, Marquis Cooper missing - NFL - SI.com


TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Coast Guard searchers on Monday narrowed the search area for two NFL players and a third man missing since a weekend fishing trip off the Florida Gulf Coast after crews rescued a fourth man clinging to their capsized boat.
Survivor Nick Schuyler, a former University of South Florida player, told rescuers that the boat the four friends were aboard was anchored when it flipped Saturday evening in rough seas, said Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close. Since then, Schuyler, who was wearing a life vest, had been hanging onto the boat found by a Coast Guard cutter 35 miles off Clearwater.
Schuyler said the other three men got separated from the boat. The 21-footer belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, who, along with free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith and former South Florida player William Bleakley, remained missing.

 

[Little Wing]

That's good to hear. Serious condition, at least they're alive

i think only 1 is.

 

[IronAddict]

i think only 1 is.

Ohhh. I see.

Man, sorry to say it looks very dire for the others lost at sea.

That's terrible!

 

[mboley370]

Ohhh. I see.

Man, sorry to say it looks very dire for the others lost at sea.

That's terrible!

Yeah it dosn't look good due to the fact that they found the boat. I am sure they are searching in a radius around the boat, however how far can 1 person swim in that amount of time? It dosn't look good, but we can hope.


Matt

 

[IronAddict]

Yeah it dosn't look good due to the fact that they found the boat. I am sure they are searching in a radius around the boat, however how far can 1 person swim in that amount of time? It dosn't look good, but we can hope.


Matt

A few years back, I heard the story of a Marine Lcpl who fell into the Indian Ocean off of a Naval vessal, and dog paddled for three days.

In that situation, I guess it's how hard are you willing to fight to survive.

 

[mboley370]

A few years back, I heard the story of a Marine Lcpl who fell into the Indian Ocean off of a Naval vessal, and dog paddled for three days.

In that situation, I guess it's how hard are you willing to fight to survive.

Wow, not me I could dog paddle for about 20 mins and then sink, I can't float on my back at all. So I would be shark food. However with a life jacket I am not sure how long I could dog paddle it depends on water temp really and the situation, in theres I know I would give it my all, but 3 days is a lot.

 

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Coast Guard ends search for boaters as survivor Nick Schuyler tells strange story of others' fate

Schuyler told Coast Guard investigators a strange story about the fate of the others, according to family members of two of the missing men. However, they said, given Schuyler's condition when rescued after two days on the sea in cold weather, he may have been delusional.

Schuyler told investigators that about two to four hours after their boat flipped in rough seas, one of the two National Football League players on board gave up hope and let himself be swept away, according to relatives briefed by the Coast Guard.

A few hours later, the second one did the same.