Coast Guard searching for missing boat w/NFL players aboard (1 Viewer)

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Family members told FOX News Nick Schuyler was found clinging to the boat about 30 miles off shore. FOX News also reports the other three men were wearing life jackets, and the Coast Guard is searching for them.

"It's a relief that they found somebody and that they found a boat. That gives us a lot of time." Marquis Cooper's cousin Ray Sanchez. "They're gonna find my cousin. That's all I know. He's a great swimmer, they've got vests so I know that man's gonnna be fine."

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/boaters_rescue_030209

this is nice to hear, I have to admit was wondering.

Anything helps I guess, I'm just not sure it matter how good a swimmer you are after being in the water this long. Potentially good news about the life vest though.

Coming from a Michigan/florida upbringing and swimming for teams I take it for granted. But I am amazed how many people you find , especially from urban areas, that can't swim. I was just glad to hear they could swim. I think they'll find them alive. These athletes are in top condition add adrenaline, a life jacket and the ability tpo swim, I think that sounds like pretty good chances. especially since they have narrowed the search so much. I wonder if the teams/NFL are supplying additional private assistance?

 

[fred_1_15301]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

Oh boy that cannot be a good idea.

 

[QUEZILLA]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Swim west 30 miles to shore?

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Nobody could be that dumb

 

[QUEZILLA]

I wonder how far from the boat they could possibly be. The search radius must be dramatically lowered now.

 

[Avery]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

Apparently float there until they get rescued.

 

[QUEZILLA]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

 

[Flyin Pigs]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Didn't make a lot of sense to me either, but that's what they say Schuyler told rescuers. I'd figure that boat is easier to spot from the air than I am, but after a number of hours in heavy waves I guess desperation might set in...

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

Apparently float there until they get rescued.

Easy to say now.

 

[GregR_2]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

No, float there until the Coast Guard finds them. It's a lot easier to spot a floating overturned boat than a person in a life jacket. They have a lot better odds than they do swimming 30 miles, if they even knew which direction they should be trying to go.Not to mention that staying, they might be able to get at least partway out of the water onto the overturned boat and extend how long they can hold out against hypothermia.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

mabye after a few days, but even then prolly not. The boat was floating. That is what the search parties will see before a person, plus it will provide shade.. Plus in a survival situation you want to conserve your energy as much as possible. Even with a lifejacket yu should try and dead mans float.Not even to mention that the large boat would likely protect your from and other predators.

 

[Avery]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

Apparently float there until they get rescued.

Easy to say now.

True but I would think it's easier for the Coast Guard to spot a boat then a person floating in the water and I would think sticking together is a good idea as well. I'm no boater, but I think these are things that people going this far out to sea should know. Maybe their judgment was clouded after being in the water so long.

 

[gump]

For the record...the Coast Guard live interview I was watching did not mention the other 3 swimming for it. That must have come from the hospital.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

mabye I don't know how far out they were, I guess if they could see the shore. Either way dumb idea.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

No, float there until the Coast Guard finds them. It's a lot easier to spot a floating overturned boat than a person in a life jacket. They have a lot better odds than they do swimming 30 miles, if they even knew which direction they should be trying to go.Not to mention that staying, they might be able to get at least partway out of the water onto the overturned boat and extend how long they can hold out against hypothermia.

How are they to know the Coast Guard will find them? It doesnt suprise me at all, or make me think they were dumb for swimming for it. They were floating in the ocean for more than 24 hours, most normal human beings, especially full grown men, are going to decide to try to save themselves.

 

[gump]

I just saw the life jacket on Schuyler...looked like the "fat guy in a little coat" scene...

 

[Avery]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

No, float there until the Coast Guard finds them. It's a lot easier to spot a floating overturned boat than a person in a life jacket. They have a lot better odds than they do swimming 30 miles, if they even knew which direction they should be trying to go.Not to mention that staying, they might be able to get at least partway out of the water onto the overturned boat and extend how long they can hold out against hypothermia.

How are they to know the Coast Guard will find them? It doesnt suprise me at all, or make me think they were dumb for swimming for it. They were floating in the ocean for more than 24 hours, most normal human beings, especially full grown men, are going to decide to try to save themselves.

Sadly poor decision making is the downfall of many crisis situations.Assuming they left on their own accord, didn't get thrown away from the boat by another wave, clear thinking full grown men would realize that staying together with the boat is their best chance to save themselves.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

No, float there until the Coast Guard finds them. It's a lot easier to spot a floating overturned boat than a person in a life jacket. They have a lot better odds than they do swimming 30 miles, if they even knew which direction they should be trying to go.Not to mention that staying, they might be able to get at least partway out of the water onto the overturned boat and extend how long they can hold out against hypothermia.

How are they to know the Coast Guard will find them? It doesnt suprise me at all, or make me think they were dumb for swimming for it. They were floating in the ocean for more than 24 hours, most normal human beings, especially full grown men, are going to decide to try to save themselves.

not if they've ever watched survivorman/bear grlyzz, or taken a water safety course.

 

[fatness]

7-9 foot waves now in target area.35 miles southwest of Clearwater.Lifejackets were designed to hold men above water for "days".

The last part is good news.

 

[QUEZILLA]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

mabye I don't know how far out they were, I guess if they could see the shore. Either way dumb idea.

The way toward land would have been East, so if they saw the way the sun set, just go opposite. It was 2am, so the sun wasn't out, but they still could have followed the stars. Weather was a little bad, but they should have been able to see stars. if anything sun would have started rising a few hours after they started swimming.

 

[biggamer3]

Guys quick hypothetical, if you were stranded on an overturned boat for 48 hours, would drinking the ocean water be beneficial to your body?

 

[sizzer55]

they had probably already been clinging to the boad for 30 hours or so and didn't think any resuce was coming. and the longer they waited, the weaker they would be to attempt a swim. i really hope they were some big, heavy-duty life vests. i'm no expert on this, but i think that huge football players with a lot of muscle and little body fat would tend to want to sink a lot more than many people.

i guess there is a chance that they could have used stars to figure out which way to go, but that would depend on clear skies and some prior knowledge of navigating using stars. also, they could use the sun, but it sounds like they set off in the middle of the night. i would guess that they could be ten miles or more from the boat by now in any direction.

 

[Avery]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

mabye I don't know how far out they were, I guess if they could see the shore. Either way dumb idea.

The way toward land would have been East, so if they saw the way the sun set, just go opposite. It was 2am, so the sun wasn't out, but they still could have followed the stars. Weather was a little bad, but they should have been able to see stars. if anything sun would have started rising a few hours after they started swimming.

Are you saying that these guys apparently didn't know basic water rescue rules of staying with the boat but they could follow a star chart to head in the right direction?

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

skyler aparently played at USF

fox news reporting that they were all together at 2 am, and then got "seperated".

If they tried to swim it at night, when they have no visibility in the water, or at a great distance, they are NUTS. I wonder if they tried at night, becasue they felt they could see the lights from shore as a guide?

 

[TwinTurbo]

If there were 10-15 foot swells as reported, then I'm suprised they were even able to hang onto the boat. But even if you are a world class swimmer, it's nearly impossible to beat cold water for that long. Your worst enemy is the cold. And then there's the sharks. That capsized boat would be like an oasis in the desert. I hope they didn't try to swim for it because that would have been a fatal mistake.

 

[Avery]

Guys quick hypothetical, if you were stranded on an overturned boat for 48 hours, would drinking the ocean water be beneficial to your body?

The salt content makes the water dehydrating plus it will possibly make you vomit and sick dehydrating and weakening you further.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

what a stupid idea.

Why, what are they supposed to do, float there until they die?

No, float there until the Coast Guard finds them. It's a lot easier to spot a floating overturned boat than a person in a life jacket. They have a lot better odds than they do swimming 30 miles, if they even knew which direction they should be trying to go.Not to mention that staying, they might be able to get at least partway out of the water onto the overturned boat and extend how long they can hold out against hypothermia.

How are they to know the Coast Guard will find them? It doesnt suprise me at all, or make me think they were dumb for swimming for it. They were floating in the ocean for more than 24 hours, most normal human beings, especially full grown men, are going to decide to try to save themselves.

Sadly poor decision making is the downfall of many crisis situations.Assuming they left on their own accord, didn't get thrown away from the boat by another wave, clear thinking full grown men would realize that staying together with the boat is their best chance to save themselves.

Maybe that is their best chance, but like i said, i cant blame them, or think it is stupid to try to save yourself, if thats what happened.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I would think that four big guys could right a 21-foot boat, then sail it back in.

I'd be surprised if three of them really did swim for it.

 

[Burning Sensation]

Guys quick hypothetical, if you were stranded on an overturned boat for 48 hours, would drinking the ocean water be beneficial to your body?

If you wanted to die quickly.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

if I am already handcuffed in my environment (water) the last thing I wanna do is take away the light for my survival. Plus, these were NFL players? How could they not think that their owners/the NFL would come find them even if the govt/coast guard didn't?How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

mabye I don't know how far out they were, I guess if they could see the shore. Either way dumb idea.

The way toward land would have been East, so if they saw the way the sun set, just go opposite. It was 2am, so the sun wasn't out, but they still could have followed the stars. Weather was a little bad, but they should have been able to see stars. if anything sun would have started rising a few hours after they started swimming.

 

[fatness]

Photos, but they don't really add much to the story.

 

[gump]

i really hope they were some big, heavy-duty life vests.

It didn't look like it Schuyler. The CG said they were "designed to support men for days"...but his looked tiny on him.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

If there were 10-15 foot swells as reported, then I'm suprised they were even able to hang onto the boat. But even if you are a world class swimmer, it's nearly impossible to beat cold water for that long. Your worst enemy is the cold. And then there's the sharks. That capsized boat would be like an oasis in the desert. I hope they didn't try to swim for it because that would have been a fatal mistake.

It was a TINY boat. (just saw a new clip). I can imagine they couldn't right it?

 

[TwinTurbo]

Guys quick hypothetical, if you were stranded on an overturned boat for 48 hours, would drinking the ocean water be beneficial to your body?

No it would lead to dehydration more quickly. And eventually kidney failure. Not a good idea.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Is there anyway for the "public" to search for them using google satelite images?? Seems more productive than what we are doing?

 

[QUEZILLA]

Photos, but they don't really add much to the story.

He doesn't look that bad. I would have thought he would have been pretty red from sun burn.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

Is there anyway for the "public" to search for them using google satelite images?? Seems more productive than what we are doing?

Google satellite images are generally six months to two years old, I think.

 

[gump]

Photos, but they don't really add much to the story.

He doesn't look that bad. I would have thought he would have been pretty red from sun burn.

He looked even better live. He was moving around fine...had his leg folded and one arm behind his head, like he was relaxing. Was looking around and didn't seem to have a pale or red face.

 

[identikit]

Is there anyway for the "public" to search for them using google satelite images?? Seems more productive than what we are doing?

Google satellite images are generally six months to two years old, I think.

True

 

[Avery]

Is there anyway for the "public" to search for them using google satelite images?? Seems more productive than what we are doing?

Google satellite images are generally six months to two years old, I think.

I assumed he was kidding.

 

[QUEZILLA]

Fox just said that all 4 were with the boat until about 2AM when the other 3 tried to swim for it.

Tried to SWIM for it?!?!?!?

How could you even know which direction to swim?

Yeah, no way they could have figured that one out.

mabye I don't know how far out they were, I guess if they could see the shore. Either way dumb idea.

The way toward land would have been East, so if they saw the way the sun set, just go opposite. It was 2am, so the sun wasn't out, but they still could have followed the stars. Weather was a little bad, but they should have been able to see stars. if anything sun would have started rising a few hours after they started swimming.

Are you saying that these guys apparently didn't know basic water rescue rules of staying with the boat but they could follow a star chart to head in the right direction?

If your sitting on a boat while the sun is setting I am sure you could recognize which stars the sun is setting by. You just swim the opposite way.

 

[QUEZILLA]

Is there anyway for the "public" to search for them using google satelite images?? Seems more productive than what we are doing?

Google satellite images are generally six months to two years old, I think.

I assumed he was kidding.

 

[fatness]

Update, 1:42 p.m. ET: Coast Guard Capt. Timothy Close said he has no details on the whereabouts of the other three boaters, but he has been in contact with all of the families. Close said the boat was anchored at one point and then flipped. He sent officers to Tampa General Hospital to interview Schuyler to try to help the search for his friends.

Here''s a video of the helicopter landing.

 

[Michael Brown]

If there were 10-15 foot swells as reported, then I'm suprised they were even able to hang onto the boat. But even if you are a world class swimmer, it's nearly impossible to beat cold water for that long. Your worst enemy is the cold. And then there's the sharks. That capsized boat would be like an oasis in the desert. I hope they didn't try to swim for it because that would have been a fatal mistake.

It was a TINY boat. (just saw a new clip). I can imagine they couldn't right it?

I've never had to right a capsized boat so maybe I'm talking out of my ###, but isn't it pretty impossible to do that while in the water?

 

[Ninersfan]

I would think that four big guys could right a 21-foot boat, then sail it back in.

I'd be surprised if three of them really did swim for it.

For any boating experts here, is this possible/probable? This was one of the first things that came to mind when I heard they had found the boat and one of the men.

 

[sizzer55]

If there were 10-15 foot swells as reported, then I'm suprised they were even able to hang onto the boat. But even if you are a world class swimmer, it's nearly impossible to beat cold water for that long. Your worst enemy is the cold. And then there's the sharks. That capsized boat would be like an oasis in the desert. I hope they didn't try to swim for it because that would have been a fatal mistake.

It was a TINY boat. (just saw a new clip). I can imagine they couldn't right it?

i'm sure they tried to right it. maybe the motor is too heavy or "righting it" would require lifting a bunch of water and it's hard to lift anyting when you're treading water. maybe if they righted it, it would have too much water in it or kept filling up with water or something?

 

[QUEZILLA]

Photos, but they don't really add much to the story.

He doesn't look that bad. I would have thought he would have been pretty red from sun burn.

He looked even better live. He was moving around fine...had his leg folded and one arm behind his head, like he was relaxing. Was looking around and didn't seem to have a pale or red face.

Kind of eerie looking at the kid knowing that a few hours ago he was clinging to a boat wondering if he would ever be rescued.