NFL Players Reported Missing by Coast Guard

NFL PLAYERS REPORTED MISSING BY COAST GUARD

Two NFL players are missing off the coast of Florida according to one of their agents. A search began Sunday morning around 2 a.m. to find them and 2 others who were with them on their boat. Ron Del Duca is the sports agent for Detroit Lions defensive end Corey Smith. He has reported that Smith and Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper are missing since their boat disappeared Saturday in waters off Clearwater, Florida.

The Coast Guard is searching an area about 50 miles west of Clearwater Pass. This is where the four men left the Seminole Boat Ramp at about 6:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Coast Guard received a call that the four men did not return from their fishing trip so they sent a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat, a HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a C-130 Hercules plane to search for them. The search area covers 750 square miles west of Clearwater, Florida. As of yet, the Coast Guard has not received a distress signal from the NFL player's boat.

Agent and NFL Teams

The agent, Del Duca reported the Coast Guard assured him they are doing everything they can to find the men. The NFL teams are monitoring the situation according to the Lions spokesman Bill Keenist and Raiders senior executive John Hererra.

Meteorologist Report

A meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Tampa, Rick Davis, said seas were about 2 to 4 feet Saturday morning but increased to 3 to 5 feet in the afternoon. A small craft advisory was issued late on Saturday night. This was when winds were about 20 knots which resulted in the seas going up to 7 feet or more. No thunderstorms were reported in the area. Davis said the water was "extremely rough and choppy" Sunday afternoon.

The four men left in Smith's 31' boat from Clearwater Pass on Saturday. They were expected back that night but didn't return. Smith and Cooper had been on his boat before for fishing trips. The Coast Guard said the two others with the NFL players were identified as Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler. No other details are available at this time.

NFL Players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith

Cooper, 26, who is 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, played five seasons with the Buccaneers, Seahawks, Jaguars, Steelers and Raiders. He appeared in 26 games with the Buccaneers in 2004 and 2005, recording 30 tackles. Smith, 29, who is 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, had 30 tackles, including three sacks, and an interception in 12 games last season for the Detroit Lions where he played defensive end. Smith also played for the San Fransisco 49'ers. He is currently a free agent with the NFL. According to the St. Petersburg Times, both men are former University of South Florida players.

The Coast Guard has asked anyone with information to contact their St. Petersburg, Florida, sector at 727-824-7506.

Updates:

This just in: One of the four men on the boat was rescued. Nick Schuyler was wearing a life vest and clinging to the over-turned boat when found. All four men were wearing life vests according to Schuyler and the Coast Guard says the search was aided by information he provided.

Update: Cooper's father stated that the Coast Guard told the families privately that they are not optimistic because of the timeframe and the possibility of hypothermia. His father remains hopeful.

Update: Coast Guard calls off search at sundown today, Tuesday, March 3rd after scouring 24,000 sq. ft. of ocean and rescuing one of the four men. Searchers came across a cooler and a lifejacket 16 miles southeast of the boat but there were no other signs of the missing men.

Update: The family of missing player Corey Smith speak exclusively to Larry King, tonight on CNN, 9 PM, EST.

Sources:
http://www.freep.com/article/20090303/NEWS07/90303064/1049/SPORTS01/Coast+Guard+calls+off+search+for+NFL+players
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/01/florida.missing.boaters/index.html
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MISSING_BOATERS_NFL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-03-01-14-27-56
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090303/ap_on_sp_fo_ne/missing_boaters_nfl
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/