RSABBM
When I read the motor cover was missing my first thought was engine trouble. That is scary to me because it's extremely dangerous not to have power to the boat if caught in a storm. The bow (or front) of the boat needs to be facing the waves even if it means heading into the storm. There is no way to do this if you lose power to the boat. jmo
This actually gives me hope. If they had engine trouble and saw the storm coming in, hopefully that means they put on their life vests. No life vests means there is not much hope of them ever being found.