just found more info on Papers website.
http://www.carteretnewstimes.com/
http://www.carteretnewstimes.com/headln4.htm
Two bodies recovered near river
BY ERIC STEINKOPFF
NEWS-TIMES
SOUTH RIVER — The bodies of two Florida men found near the mouth of South River have been identified as two experienced seaman hired to transport a new boat from an Edenton factory south along the Intracoastal Waterway to a Miami boat show.
County Sheriff Ralph Thomas Jr. confirmed Friday that the body of Sam Puleo, 78, of Fort Lauderdale who lived on a boat in a Florida marina, was found around 4:30 p.m. Thursday and the body of his companion, retired Bay Harbor Island police Lt. James Surface, 55, of Englewood, was found around 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Both bodies were found near Lukens Island just to the east of the mouth of the South River about eight miles east of their sunken 35-foot Carolina Classic "Sport Fisher."
The boat was found Friday by a Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk search and rescue crew in about 10 to 18 feet of water near Marker 7.
Investigators said that there is no evidence of foul play, but the bodies were taken to Carteret General Hospital and then to Onslow Memorial Hospital for autopsies to determine the cause of death, before being released to the families for burial.
An investigation is under way to determine what led up to the sinking of the boat.
Investigators will learn a great deal more about the incident once they are able to take a closer look at the boat.
"When we raise the boat, almost immediately we will know what happened," Sheriff Thomas said. "It will have to be inspected by the Coast Guard and deputies to confirm or disprove suspicions of a serious hull breach. If that’s not the case, the investigation will continue."
The two men’s journey began when they rented a car and left their native Cozy Cove Marina in Dania, Fla., on the southeastern tip of the state and drove north to take delivery of the new boat from manufacturer Carolina Classic Inc. in Edenton.
Those who knew the two men said they hoped to head south along the ICW in time to reach next week’s Miami Boat Show.
"They each have about 30 years on boats. Sam (Puleo) lived on a boat in the marina and owned several boats," said Cozy Cove Marina owner and operator John Skinner. "He’s been delivering boats for years to places like the Galapagos Islands, South America and inland rivers."
According to investigators, the men left Edenton around 8:30 a.m. Sunday and they believe something went wrong about midday when the boat sank quickly in the Neuse River near the mouth of Adams Creek.
"The boat sank, but this was unknown until Thursday afternoon when we were notified that a body had been spotted in the water near the mouth of the South River," said Sheriff Thomas of a South River resident’s report.
Deputies recovered Mr. Puleo’s life-jacketed body near the mouth of the South River late Thursday afternoon, determined that he was on a boat and had a companion, so the Coast Guard began a helicopter search of the area around 6 p.m. that included about 2,000 square miles in the Pamlico Sound, Pamlico River and Neuse River.
The air crews continued through the night, pausing only to refuel and were joined by Coast Guard boats from their Hobuken and Fort Macon stations, as well as members of the Marine Patrol, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and sheriff’s deputies.
The helicopter crew from their Elizabeth City Air Station spotted the boat from the air Friday near Marker 7 close to the mouth of Adams Creek with one outrigger sticking out of the water, according to Coast Guard Sector North Carolina Public Affairs Officer Lt. j.g. Chandra Hartsfield.
The sheriff’s department received a citizen’s report early Friday of another body near where they recovered the first, near the mouth of the South River and about 500 yards from an area frequented by duck hunters.
Sheriff’s department dive team leader and patrol division supervisor Capt. Franklin Fulcher, Detective Sgt. Jason Wank and undercover narcotics officer Detective Chris Cozart were on a Coast Guard boat around 12:30 p.m. Friday when they found the body of Mr. Surface without a life jacket near Lukens Island.
"Both bodies were in close proximity to each other," Sheriff Thomas said. "It’s a logical location due to the winds over the last several days. The west and west-northwest winds would have moved bodies from the location of the boat to where the bodies were found."
"We needed multiple people, including detectives to (document) the location and condition of the body, retrieve it and make other observations at the scene," Sheriff Thomas said. "We appreciate the rapid and in depth cooperation from the Fort Macon Coast Guard Station."
Given the fact that at least one of the deceased men was wearing a life jacket and they were not able to steer the boat toward land and relative safety of the shallows, investigators believe that whatever catastrophic event occurred, it flooded and sank the boat very fast.
"People who know the men said they would not have otherwise been wearing life jackets," said Sheriff Thomas who added that the fact that there was no evidence of trauma or burns to the head, torso or limbs of the deceased, suggests that the sinking was not caused by an engine or transmission explosion.
"They did this all the time and were considered very experienced professionals," Sheriff Thomas said.
"It was a brand new boat, and they always carry a GPS, radio and depth sounder," Mr. Skinner said. "It must have been an absolute freak accident to cause something to happen so quickly."
Sheriff’s departments in Pamlico County to the north and Carteret County to the south both confirmed that there was no report of an emergency cell phone call about a sinking boat this week.
According to the Coast Guard, they did not get a distress call from the unnamed boat piloted by the two men this week, but a crew from their Hobuken station did respond to another boater’s report of a sunken vessel marked with a life ring or life jacket near Marker 7 in the Neuse River Wednesday and they were unable to find the boat.
"The cause should be determined in a matter of days, but it would likely be hypothermia or drowning, given the absence of physical trauma," Sheriff Thomas said.
According to the National Weather Service in Newport, the water temperatures dropped steadily from 54 degrees Sunday to 49 degrees Friday.
"The trend was for the water to get colder as the weather got colder throughout the week," said meteorologist John Elavdo.
The families in Florida were devastated, but at least one friend was able to say some kind words about his comrades.
"We’re all in shock and disbelief," Mr. Skinner said. "They were very close personal friends, like members of the family. Sam (Puelo) was a true gentleman and a scholar and (Mr. Surface) was a retired cop. They helped everybody in the marina. They were just good people."
Deputies estimated that the boat likely carried about 300 gallons of fuel when it set off from Edenton and probably used about 40 to 50 gallons on its trip to the Neuse River, so officers expect as much as 250 gallons of diesel fuel could still be on board of the sunken vessel.
"I believe that the fuel tanks still had a great deal of fuel inside, but there was no oil or fuel seen on the surface," Sheriff Thomas said. "The boat salvage and recovery is the responsibility of the boat owner under the guidance of the Coast Guard."
"The Coast Guard will work closely with the owner to ensure the salvage doesn’t present any environmental hazards," Lt. j.g. Hartsfield said.