Updated: Coast Guard Calls Off Search for Missing NFL Players

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by tootergray34

man life vest or not...you'd think it'd be hard to survive floating in the water overnight wouldn't you? I'm not that experienced of a waterman myself, but I think that it would still be dangerous. I've got it on ESPN news all day here at the house. I"ll write something if I hear anything.

Well, if they had life vests and the boat to hold on to, I wouldn't think it would be too hard to make it through one night. The water off the gulf coast in SW Florida is pretty warm. I'm guessing they weren't wearing their vests when the boat flipped. Regardless it's a really sad situation.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Well, if they had life vests and the boat to hold on to, I wouldn't think it would be too hard to make it through one night. The water off the gulf coast in SW Florida is pretty warm. I'm guessing they weren't wearing their vests when the boat flipped. Regardless it's a really sad situation.

Well the seas that night were around 13 to 15 feet from what I read. Staying with a boat in those conditions was probably pretty tough. If the other guys had on life vest there is still a good chance they are still alive.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Well the seas that night were around 13 to 15 feet from what I read. Staying with a boat in those conditions was probably pretty tough. If the other guys had on life vest there is still a good chance they are still alive.

Oh wow. I didn't hear that. That's really rough.

[mooby]

Man I hope they find the other three guys. What a horrible situation. If the other three didn't have life vests on I doubt they would make it, they wouldn't be able to stay afloat for very long and they'd probably try too hard to compensate and end up tiring faster.

[Hog1]

Man, I cannot imagine what they were thinking. It was very windy all along the Gulf Coast for several days now

[tootergray34]

not looking good fellas, life vests or not, 2 days in the water...I just don't see how somebody could survive that long.

[djnemo65]

According to the paper today 18 hours in water of that temperature (around 65 degrees) would lead to hypothermia. As we've exited that window you have to start perparing yourself for the worst, barring a miracle.

[RedskinPete]

Schuyler: 'Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith Left Life Jackets, Drifted Off to Sea' -- FanHouse

Wow you have to read this about these men that went out on the boat.....That is really out there!

[tootergray34]

they've called off the search at 6:30 PM tonight (Tuesday the 3rd.) I am to assume they are to declare them dead. It was been a couple days and they have not been found. Such a sad sad story.

I'm curious as to what they were doing so far out in the ocean! It said they were around 30 miles off the coast when they were capsized. I really hope by some miracle they get found, it's so sad.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by tootergray34

they've called off the search at 6:30 PM tonight (Tuesday the 3rd.) I am to assume they are to declare them dead. It was been a couple days and they have not been found. Such a sad sad story.

I'm curious as to what they were doing so far out in the ocean! It said they were around 30 miles off the coast when they were capsized. I really hope by some miracle they get found, it's so sad.

Doesn't sound like you've ever been off shore fishing? 30 miles is nothing.

The conditions where the key factor in this tragedy from everything I've read about this story.

It is hard to believe they just gave up on there lives and drifted off to there death, sad. I hope there bodies are found, but thats about a 50/50 shot at best, so the families can lay them to rest.

[44ever]

Originally Posted by tootergray34

they've called off the search at 6:30 PM tonight (Tuesday the 3rd.) I am to assume they are to declare them dead. It was been a couple days and they have not been found. Such a sad sad story.

I'm curious as to what they were doing so far out in the ocean! It said they were around 30 miles off the coast when they were capsized. I really hope by some miracle they get found, it's so sad.

What does'nt make sence to me is how they got seperated. One guy was able to climb on hull and stay there. I would assume that the others were unconcious but the story says they were all able to swim under the boat to get life preservers. so why would they not all climb on the hull or at least tie off to each other or the boat. Usually the docking ropes are always connected to the cleats. Doesnt make sence. Im assuming this was a 21' carolina skiff, but I havnt heard of the make of the boat other than it was a everglades boat. which means it has a flat bottom and foam filled. If that is the case there is plenty of room for the guys to all fit on the hull. But its also crazy to take a skiff or a simular type of boat out past 10 miles. So my guess on the type of boat may be way off

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by 44ever

What does'nt make sence to me is how they got seperated. One guy was able to climb on hull and stay there. I would assume that the others were unconcious but the story says they were all able to swim under the boat to get life preservers. so why would they not all climb on the hull or at least tie off to each other or the boat. Usually the docking ropes are always connected to the cleats. Doesnt make sence. Im assuming this was a 21' carolina skiff, but I havnt heard of the make of the boat other than it was a everglades boat. which means it has a flat bottom and foam filled. If that is the case there is plenty of room for the guys to all fit on the hull. But its also crazy to take a skiff or a simular type of boat out past 10 miles. So my guess on the type of boat may be way off

No it wasn't a Carolina skiff. It was a 21' Everglades CC, V-birth. Read the article.

Coast Guard finds one man clinging to boat - St. Petersburg Times

[44ever]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

No it wasn't a Carolina skiff. It was a 21' Everglades CC, V-birth. Read the article.

Coast Guard finds one man clinging to boat - St. Petersburg Times

My bad. I was going off a earlier article which didnt disclose the type of boat. Thanks for the link.

With that said, I would still like to know how they got seperated. One guy was able to climb on hull and stay there. I would assume that the others were unconcious but an earlier article stated they were all able to swim under the boat to get life preservers. so why would they not all climb on the hull or at least tie off to each other or the boat. Usually the docking ropes are always connected to the cleats. I still hope they are somehow alive and found. Very sad.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by 44ever

My bad. I was going off a earlier article which didnt disclose the type of boat. Thanks for the link.

With that said, I would still like to know how they got seperated. One guy was able to climb on hull and stay there. I would assume that the others were unconcious but an earlier article stated they were all able to swim under the boat to get life preservers. so why would they not all climb on the hull or at least tie off to each other or the boat. Usually the docking ropes are always connected to the cleats. I still hope they are somehow alive and found. Very sad.

No problem. And yes very sad story to say the least. Per Schuyler the lone survivor, here is his account of the tragedy.

According to Schuyler, the man found clinging to the fishing boat on Monday, Cooper and Smith, gave up hope.

"We were told that Nick said the two NFL players took their life jackets off and drifted out to sea," said Bob Bleakley, whose son Will, 25, is also still missing.

Nick said that two to four hours after the boat tipped over in rough waters, one of the two NFL players decided he'd had enough. A few hours later, the second one did the same thing. If that isn't enough, Schuyler said that Will Bleakley, who stayed hanging on the capsized boat with Nick, told him he saw a light in the distance and decided to try and swim for it.

"I think he was delusional to think he could swim someplace," Will's father said.

While this is the first thing Nick has been quoted as saying happened, one family member of the missing players isn't exactly sure how "together" he must be after such a traumatic experience.

Ray Sanchez, Cooper's cousin, said the Coast Guard told him the same thing, but cautioned against taking Schuyler's story as gospel at this point.
"We're not 100 percent sure where his head was at," Sanchez said. "He'd been through a lot."

The search ends at 6:30 PM ET on Tuesday.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by 44ever

My bad. I was going off a earlier article which didnt disclose the type of boat. Thanks for the link.

With that said, I would still like to know how they got seperated. One guy was able to climb on hull and stay there. I would assume that the others were unconcious but an earlier article stated they were all able to swim under the boat to get life preservers. so why would they not all climb on the hull or at least tie off to each other or the boat. Usually the docking ropes are always connected to the cleats. I still hope they are somehow alive and found. Very sad.

Well from a boating site that I check out some have people in that live in that area said the seas kicked up pretty strong at times. I believe the first night they went missing the seas hit 12 to 15 feet and that could have been what causeed them to be seperated from the boat. It could have been that the boat was getting tossed around so much from the seas they thought it caused more of a danger then it provided help. The said part is that for about $700 to $1200 the boat owner could have purchased an epirb which would have giving out a major distress signal and their location. Most of the time when one goes off its just a matter of either a ship, boat or the time for the cost guard to get the choppers in the air and heading their way. I also think if they just had the cheap lifejackets they would be tough to use for men of their size and their size probably worked against them.If you have ever seen the Most Deadlest Catch when a boat sinks you hear them talking about searching in the area where the epirb signal is picked up.