One person pulled from the water. Three more still missing. Their boat capsized in 7-foot swells over the weekend. Two of the missing are NFL players. The Coast Guard won’t speculate on the men’s chances of being rescued alive as the search continues.
The lone survivor so far, Nick Schuyler, was conscious when he was loaded onto a stretcher Monday. Schuyler was dehydrated but alive. Schuyler was able to help the Coast Guard narrow the search path and told investigators those still in the water had life jackets on. The missing are 26-year-old Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, 29-year-old free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith, and 25-year-old South Florida player William Bleakley.
How could this happen? I know I ask that a lot about stories like this, but so do most people. Four big guys on a little boat…. only 21-feet long. the group left Clearwater Pass early Saturday in calm weather, but the winds picked up and the seas got heavy. More details from Schuyler: The boat was anchored at the time the sea turned rough with 7-foot waves. It must have been terrifying. Why did they go out so far? Why didn’t they start back when the wind picked up? A spokesperson with the National Association of Charter Boat Operators was quoted as saying he would never take a boat that size more than 20 miles offshore.
Searchers at this point say the physical size of the men themselves will work in their favor in surviving. They’re strong and take the punishing waters. I pray they are found.
That is all.
