Groups will be out searching until noon on Tuesday, and if 46-year-old Eiffel Gilyana is not found, they will continue searching again on Wednesday.
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Dozens of people are continuing search efforts for a 46-year-old missing canoer Tuesday after he disappeared near the St. Augustine Inlet on Saturday morning.
Eiffel Gilyana, 46, was canoe surfing at the time of his disappearance, his friend, Leonard Yui told First Coast News.
Gilyana’s canoe was recovered from the water on Saturday without Gilyana anywhere in sight.
The Coast Guard searched 350 square miles on Saturday and Sunday ultimately suspending its search at sunset on Christmas Eve.
Friends, family and Task Force Hydro-1, a mental health support group for veterans Gilyana was a part of, held their own search for him on Christmas morning, and are continuing their search Tuesday in hopes of finding their lost loved one.
Yui, who is also a member of Hydro Task Force-1, said he never imagined he’d spend his Christmas morning searching the surf to find his friend.
“His family and I were supposed to have dinner last night,” he said.
Yui said he will search with a group of volunteers Tuesday morning, and a second crew will search in the afternoon.
About 70 people are searching for Gilyana Tuesday, and veterans from Georgia are also showing up to aid in the search, according to Yui.
Yui’s group will search until noon, and if Gilyana is not found, they will continue searching again on Wednesday.
Yui is still holding out hope that his missing friend is found.
“We’re hoping for the best and expecting the worse, really,” he said. “There are many emotions right now. I just gotta stay focused. Just keep my eye on the mission today and the mission that was yesterday. So, we just gotta keep going and do the best we can.”
Gilyana’s family held a prayer vigil alongside the Jewish Community Alliance on Christmas evening, holding onto the hope that their loved one is found safe.
Adam Chaskin, CEO of the Jewish Community Alliance, said Gilyana is a loved member of the community.
“Effiel wasn’t just the fitness and wellness director at the JCA. He wasn’t just a personal trainer,” Chaskin said. “He became part of people’s families and people became part of his family. He just has such a warm heart and so many people connected so easily, and so well with him over the years,”
