Misuse Of Anchor To Blame For NFL Boating Accident

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission have released their report, following an investigation, as to the cause of the boating accident that claimed three lives, including NFL players Marquis Cooper and Corey Smith, off the west coast of Florida.

According to the report, anchoring of the boat to the transom, the use of the motor to try to pull it free and the failure to leave enough slack in the anchor line to compensate for water conditions all contributed to the boat capsizing and send the four men into the water.

Only former University of South Florida player Nick Schuyler, survived. The two NFL players along with another former University of South Florida football player, William Bleakley, were never found.

Rescuers found Schuyler sitting on top of the overturned hull about 35 miles offshore nearly two days later. He told investigators the others had succumbed to the cold and drifted away.