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NFL Players' Boat, 1 Survivor Found
Lions DE, Raiders LB Missing Off Fla. Gulf Coast
Sunday, March 1, 2009 – updated: 2:26 pm EST March 2, 2009
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Coast Guard said Monday that a missing boater has been found clinging to an overturned boat that belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.
The Coast Guard said former University of South Florida player Nick Schuyler was rescued Monday off the coast of Florida.
The Coast Guard said Cooper, Detroit Lions free agent Corey Smith and another former USF player, William Bleakley, remained missing.
TV footage showed Schuyler being helped from a Coast Guard helicopter at Tampa General Hospital. He appeared conscious and talking.
The Coast Guard had been searching for the four men since they were reported missing early Sunday morning, one day after they left on a fishing trip.
Cooper's 21-foot boat didn't return as expected Saturday night when the weather took a turn for the worse. Other boaters said they were surprised the water had gotten so rough. There were 7-foot seas in the area Saturday night.
"Marquis is an avid fisherman; he goes deep sea fishing any opportunity he gets," Bruce Cooper, Marquis' father, said in a statement. "Two years ago I went deep sea fishing with him. I swore I would never do so again; I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see land. Needless to say, I am very concerned. I am praying and hoping for the best. Marquis was scheduled to report in Oakland on March 16 to began off-season workouts with the Oakland Raiders."
Bruce Cooper said he and his wife were alerted to Marquis' disappearance when they received a phone call from the parents of the NFL player's wife, Rebekah. Bruce Cooper said his son usually stayed out fishing for 12-14 hours, but his wife called authorities when she hadn't heard from him by 9 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Earlier Monday, the Coast Guard said it had searched 16,000 square miles of water off Florida's Gulf Coast. The Coast Guard said it didn't receive a distress call from the missing boaters.
Lions DE, Raiders LB Missing Off Fla. Gulf Coast
Sunday, March 1, 2009 – updated: 2:26 pm EST March 2, 2009
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Coast Guard said Monday that a missing boater has been found clinging to an overturned boat that belongs to Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper.
The Coast Guard said former University of South Florida player Nick Schuyler was rescued Monday off the coast of Florida.
The Coast Guard said Cooper, Detroit Lions free agent Corey Smith and another former USF player, William Bleakley, remained missing.
TV footage showed Schuyler being helped from a Coast Guard helicopter at Tampa General Hospital. He appeared conscious and talking.
The Coast Guard had been searching for the four men since they were reported missing early Sunday morning, one day after they left on a fishing trip.
Cooper's 21-foot boat didn't return as expected Saturday night when the weather took a turn for the worse. Other boaters said they were surprised the water had gotten so rough. There were 7-foot seas in the area Saturday night.
"Marquis is an avid fisherman; he goes deep sea fishing any opportunity he gets," Bruce Cooper, Marquis' father, said in a statement. "Two years ago I went deep sea fishing with him. I swore I would never do so again; I didn't like the fact that I couldn't see land. Needless to say, I am very concerned. I am praying and hoping for the best. Marquis was scheduled to report in Oakland on March 16 to began off-season workouts with the Oakland Raiders."
Bruce Cooper said he and his wife were alerted to Marquis' disappearance when they received a phone call from the parents of the NFL player's wife, Rebekah. Bruce Cooper said his son usually stayed out fishing for 12-14 hours, but his wife called authorities when she hadn't heard from him by 9 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Earlier Monday, the Coast Guard said it had searched 16,000 square miles of water off Florida's Gulf Coast. The Coast Guard said it didn't receive a distress call from the missing boaters.
