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Families Asking Volunteers To Continue Search For Boaters

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By YOLANDA FERNANDEZ | News Channel 8
and STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 4, 2009

MADEIRA BEACH - Relatives of the three missing fishermen called on volunteers to help search after the U.S. Coast Guard called off efforts on Tuesday night.

At John's Pass this morning, volunteers in at least four vessels set out in search of Marquis Cooper, Cory Smith and Will Bleakley.

Cooper and Smith are former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Bleakley is a former USF football player. Their fishing boat capsized in rough seas on Saturday. One survivor, Nick Schuyler, was rescued on Monday and is recovering at Tampa General Hospital.

Mark Hubbard, of Hubbard's Marina, took out a 75-foot boat with four additional professional captains on board to help with the search this morning. Cooper's family has agreed to pay the $800 in fuel costs, but others, including a local doctor, are donating cash to help foot the bill, Hubbard said.

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