Coast Guard searching for NFL players' missing boat Sunday, March 1, 2009 Post a comment | E-mail this story | Print PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- The Coast Guard is searching for a missing fishing boat in the Gulf of Mexico that may have NFL players aboard. According to officials, the 21-foot fishing boat left from a boat ramp in Clearwater Pass Saturday about 6:30 am with four people on board. According to one official, Marquis Cooper, Nick Skyler, Corey Smith and a possible fourth person did not return from their fishing trip as expected. Smith has played the last three seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played with the Buccaneers from 2002-04. Cooper spent the 2008 season with the Oakland Raiders. He was with the Bucs in 2004 and 2005. The boat, which was about 50 miles out in the Gulf, was supposed to return Saturday evening. The boat was reported missing at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Officials said searching the water Sunday was difficult due to the rain and wind moving through the Bay area. The Coast is using two boats, a plane and a helicopter in the search, which is being conducted over an area of 750 square miles. ........ Damn.... The waters are Very bad today as a front is approaching the bay area.......
By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune Published: March 1, 2009 Updated: 15 min. ago The Coast Guard is searching for at least two professional football players and two other people who left Clearwater Pass about 6:30 a.m. Saturday in a 21-foot, center-console boat and are believed missing. The Coast Guard identified three of the missing boaters as Victor "Marquis" Cooper, Nick Skyler and Corey Smith. The Coast Guard was alerted about 1:30 a.m. today when the boat did not return as expected. The search started about 2 a.m., centered about 50 miles from Clearwater Pass. The search area covers about 750 square miles. The search involves a 47-foot boat, a helicopter, airplane and cutter, the Coast Guard said. The Oakland Raiders team Web site lists a Victor "Marquis" Cooper as a linebacker in the 2008 season who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005. The Detroit Lions team site lists a Corey Smith as a defensive end who played for the Bucs from 2002 to 2004. The searchers are encountering winds of about 45 mph and waves ranging from 6 to 10 feet high with white caps. The boaters left while weather conditions were forecast to grow worse by Saturday night. At 4:30 a.m., the National Weather Service marine forecast said a small craft advisory, meaning winds were expected to top 20 mph, would likely be issued Saturday night. At 3:30 p.m. Saturday the weather service also warned of high winds and rough seas.
This is the most current update that google has: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hS6PqL0gP6nqbWGEj4Eniq8hJeygD96LD6382
I work in Clearwater Beach. Right now I'm in South Tampa and its 58 and windy. Can only imagine how it is at sea. Hope they're okay.
My little neice did search and rescue at sea while she was at Eckerd College in St. Pete's, and she loved it. I am sure that she would love to be out on that rescue mission.
Unfortunately they have little to no chance of surviving unless they have already beached it somewhere and their radio is broken. A 21 foot boat with 4 big guys on it is not going to make it in those kinds of seas. I have been in much bigger boats and know how bad that can be.
Just got a text from my neice. She said, "LOL, why didn't we get to do anything exciting like that? We get lost fisherman and someone lucky gets to rescue 3 NFL players." LOL...to quote Brothermoose, "It is probably hormones..." :rofl:
