One boater found, other three still missing

Monday, March 2, 2009

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Nick Schuyler was taken via helicopter to Tampa General Hospital. (Slideshow)

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- One of the men aboard a 21-foot fishing boat that overturned Saturday in the Gulf of Mexico was rescued Monday, but the other three men remain missing.

The Coast Guard is still searching for former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper and William Bleakley, a former USF football player.

Found 35 miles offshore, boater Nick Schuyler was rescued from an overturned boat after almost two days of being lost at sea. Schuyler is a former USF football player.

Schuyler's parents spoke to the media shortly after he was taken to the hospital.

"I passed out. We're ecstatic. I went down. We couldn't have asked for a better ending for us," said Schuyler's mother, Marsha. "I went and saw him first and he told me, 'Mom, I kept saying you're not going to go to my funeral. That's what kept me hanging on.'"

"I feel the same way, of course," said Schuyler's father, Stu. "But my heart's still out- there's still three men missing. We're all praying for them. These guys were all very close friends."

Stu Schuyler said his son should be okay, adding that he's in serious, but stable condition and that he had been in the water since Saturday afternoon.

"He looks okay. A few cuts and bruises. He was dehydrated. His body temperature is not that far from normal," Stu Schuyler said. "Breathing's heavy and his heartbeat is a little high, but they say he's going to be okay."

More Information

According to Coast Guard officials, Schuyler, 24, was found a little before 1 p.m. Monday in the Gulf. He was found by a spotter aboard the 179-foot Coast Guard Cutter Tornado.

At least three planes, a helicopter and two vessels had been searching an area that was as large as 1,600 square miles at one point.

The Coast Guard began searching around 2 a.m. Sunday after it learned that four men had not returned from their fishing trip Saturday evening as expected. The men had left the Seminole Boat Ramp in a 21-foot single-engine boat about 6:30 a.m. Saturday, the Coast Guard said.

Rough weather hampered the effort Sunday.

Coast Guard Capt. Timothy Close said at a news conference Monday that Schuyler was conscious and answering questions when found, according to officials, although they could not confirm his condition.

Schuyler said that the boat had been anchored at one point on Saturday before being hit by a large wave and overturning. Close said Coast Guard officials would get more information to determine what caused the accident and any information that might help in the ongoing search.

Schuyler was wearing a life vest. Bay News 9 is told that all the men had been sticking together at the overturned boat 12 to 18 hours before Schuyler was rescued. All were reportedly wearing life vests.

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