Did boater give away life vest? ; Search continues for body of Somerset man in Dec. 17 accident [Capital (Annapolis, MD)]

A Somerset County man presumed dead after a Dec. 17 sailboat accident near the Sandy Point Light may have given his life jacket to his girlfriend before he drowned, according to the man's friends and family.

That is what Taylor Rogers told the family of 25-year-old Tyler Cordrey shortly after she was rescued from the frigid waters.

"Nothing is confirmed. ... (But) knowing Tyler, that's the type of person he is," said Ryan Savage, Cordrey's cousin. He added that Rogers seemed positive Cordrey had been wearing a life jacket shortly after the accident.

"If he doesn't have it on now, he put it on Taylor," Savage said.

Officials with the Natural Resources Police - who are searching for Cordrey's body - said yesterday they are still investigating what happened with the life jackets.

"We are hearing the same thing," said Sgt. Brian Alberts, an NRP spokesman.

While Rogers, 25, of Salisbury, survived the accident, she doesn't remember exactly what happened, Alberts said.

Alberts added that the county firefighters who pulled Rogers from the water do not believe she was wearing a life vest. He said she was clinging to a buoy from the boat when she was discovered.

Attempts to reach Rogers have been unsuccessful.

In addition to Cordrey, Daniel Denike, 46, of Laurel, died in the 2:45 p.m. sailboat mishap, police said.

Cordrey's dog, Roscoe, also died. Thedog's body was found Thursday near McDaniel, north of Tilghman Island.

According to police, Denike, Rogers and Cordrey were on Denike's 18-foot Precision sailboat when a strong gust of wind hit the area. Rogers told police the sail was accidentally tightened when the gust hit, causing the craft to capsize. They had meant to loosen the sail, police said.

Rogers told Savage that Cordrey helped her back on top of the boat after it flipped over but before it sank. According to Savage, Cordrey put on a life vest he found floating in the water, but gave it to Rogers when the boat went down a couple minutes later.

It is unclear why the sailboat sank so quickly. Sgt. Art Windemuth, another NRP spokesman, said they won't know until the boat has been salvaged and that won't happen until the insurance is sorted out.

With the help of side-scan sonar, police have located the vessel in 40 feet of water.

Emergency personnel received two reports about the boat accident.

At about 2:45 a.m.</chron>, the U.S. Coast Guard received a VHF radio call regarding a capsized vessel from one of the men on the boat. Minutes later, Rogers used her cellphone to call 911.

Both calls ended before a location was given.

The Coast Guard was able to determine a general location for the radio call, but it still took about an hour for rescuers to find Rogers and Denike.

Both people were taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center. Rogers was treated for hypothermia and released. Denike did not survive.

Police called off the organized search for Cordrey the week after the sailboat accident. Officers in boats and helicopters, however, continue to look for the body as they perform their routine patrols.

Savage and a several volunteers are still searching the bay for Cordrey.

"Until he is recovered one way or another, there is hope," Savage said.

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