A boater has been rescued from the waters off of Florida’s Gulf Coast, and it’s of the passengers from a boat containing two missing NFL players.
The Coast Guard says they found a person clinging to an overturned boat, and ESPN reports that the rescued person was on the same vessel that was carrying Detroit Lions DE Corey Smith & Oakland Raiders LB Marquis Cooper:
A source close to the situation, who spoke with ESPN.com’s Bill Williamson, said the Coast Guard has secured Nick Schuyler, who was the person clinging to the boat. The search continues for the other people on board.
The Coast Guard has been searching for the four men since they were reported missing early Sunday morning. As of Monday morning, they had searched 16,000 square miles off Florida’s Gulf Coast.
WTSP-TV TAMPA BAY 10 confirms that the rescued boater is indeed Schuyler. In addition, Schuyler’s dad says that the remaining three missing boaters were all wearing life vests.
Smith, Cooper, and fourth passenger William Bleakley still remain missing.
*UPDATE*: WTSP has live online video coverage of the story.
4:29 pm on March 2nd, 2009
This will likely end up being a sad farewell to Corey & Marquis.
5:10 pm on March 2nd, 2009
That's good news about Nick Schuyler, but it's terrible for the families of the other three missing guys.