Search For Missing NFL Players Cost $1.6 Million

Florida Tampa The three-day search covered more than 20000 square miles and required 230 combined hours of Coast Guard aircraft and boats. The players were never found.

by The Associated Press

Published: Tue, March 10, 2009 - 12:35 pm CST Last Updated: Tue, March 10, 2009 - 12:39 pm CST

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - The search for the two NFL players
and two other men missing in the Gulf of Mexico cost the U.S. Coast
Guard $1.6 million.
The St. Petersburg Times reported Tuesday that the three-day
search covered more than 20,000 square miles and required 230
combined hours of Coast Guard aircraft and boats.
Nick Schuyler was the only survivor. He was found sitting on top
of the capsized 21-foot fishing boat on March 2, about two days
after it overturned in rough seas off Clearwater.
Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent NFL
defensive lineman Corey Smith, who played for the Detroit Lions
last season, and former University of South Florida player William
Bleakley were never found.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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4thekids35 Says:

Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 9:45 pm

i’m sure the parents would’ve given that much money and their own lives if they could’ve saved their sons.

Sirk Says:

Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 4:35 pm

I think its worth the money too. I hope if any of my family members ever went missing that money and time would be spent on them too. I think its horrible to not find the bodies even. It would be hard to have closure without a body in my opinion.

RNuts Says:

Tue, Mar 10, 2009 at 1:22 pm

Someone asked me if that much effort is expended to search for the average Joe’s. It is. I am a member of a local Search and Rescue group in Baldwin County.

You would be amazed at how much manpower and money is spent on even the average missing person. I do not know the total cost, but last month when the crab fisherman fell from his boat and drowned in Mobile Bay, there where men and boats from the Coast guard, Mobile County Flotilla, North Baldwin SAR, Daphne SAR, AL Marine Police and AL Game and Fish. Just for one average U.S. Citizen. That’s a great turnout for anyone!