I doubt you'd be able to get up to full thrust with the covers on though. If it wouldn't be sucked in and shredded/burned (in which case it wouldn't be seen floating in the sea), it wouldn't be possible to get the amount of airflow you ned to get it up to full thrust for takeoff.

I agree this whole story is conjecture.. And a cover floating in the sea doesn't mean it would have had anything to do with this plane.