Volunteers will head back out on the water Tuesday to search for a missing canoer who was last seen Saturday morning.
A prayer vigil in Vilano Beach was held Monday for missing 46-year-old Eiffel Gilyana, who was last seen near the St. Augustine inlet wearing black pants, with no life jacket or shirt.
The U.S. Coast Guard Southeast suspended the search on Sunday night after covering about 341 square miles of the St. Augustine Inlet — the size of the city of Dallas. But Gilyana’s family and friends are praying for a miracle and not giving up hope.
A charity that helps veterans called Task Force Hydro 1 will be back out Tuesday morning to look for Gilyana, who went paddling Saturday morning on an outrigger canoe with a group. The group lost sight of him, and his canoe was found damaged. No one has seen him since.
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Search volunteers are asked to meet at 8:30 a.m. at the St. Augustine Lighthouse boat ramp at 446 Ocean Vista Ave. in St. Augustine. The group leading the search is encouraging people to join a WhatsApp group for communication: Here’s the link or you can scan the QR code in the image below.
Leonardo Yui, a member of Task Force Hydro 1, said he’s been friends with Gilyana for a few years.
“One way to describe Eiffel is just as a man of faith, a loving father, just a loving person. If any of us was out there missing, he will be the one out there searching as well,” Yui said.
Gilyana works at the Jewish Community Alliance as its fitness and wellness director.
JCA CEO Adam Chaskin released a statement about Gilyana Sunday on Facebook:
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