BOSTON -- The body of New England Patriots defensive end Marquise Hill has been recovered from Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana.

"The family will have to make positive identification," Capt. Brian Clark of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Department said. "But the body we found was that of Mr. Marquise Hill."

The body was discovered about a quarter-mile from where Hill and a female companion were involved in an accident, Clark said.

The report came about 17 hours after the Coast Guard received word that Hill was missing following an apparent personal water craft accident on Lake Ponchartrain.

Hill's agent, Albert Elias, said he had been told Hill and a young woman were on the water craft Sunday in the lake when both of them went into the water, which had a strong current. Elias said the woman was able to make it to a pylon and hang on until she was rescued, while Hill was last scene floating away from the scene.

Neither Hill nor the woman wore a life preserver, Coast Guard Petty Officer Tom Atkeson said.

Another boater called in the accident around 9:30 p.m Sunday. The boater said he heard someone yelling for help and found a woman holding on to a piling. The boater said he saw Hill but lost sight of him before he could get close enough to rescue him.

"We are all shocked," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement.

The woman was rescued and sent to Tulane Medical Center where she said Hill had tried to keep her calm as the two were drifting away from each other.

A Coast Guard rescue helicopter crew from Air Station New Orleans, two rescue boat crews and a Coast Guard truck crew from Coast Guard Station New Orleans had participated in the search.

After searching overnight for Hill, a defensive tackle in the NFL since 2004, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said at about 10:45 a.m. Monday that they were no longer on a search and rescue mission.

According to Hill's official biography on the Patriots Web site, he was born in New Orleans and attended Louisiana State University with a degree in General Studies. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2004 draft.

He saw limited action in the NFL last season, with brief appearances in four games.

Elias said Hill had spent much of his time since Hurricane Katrina helping family members rebuild their homes.