VILANO BEACH, Fla. — The Coast Guard has suspended its search for a missing kayaker off the coast of Vilano Beach, but a group of family and friends will be back out first thing Christmas morning, looking for their loved one.
46-year-old Eiffel Gilyana disappeared Saturday morning while kayaking near the St. Augustine Inlet.
The Coast Guard spent two days and all of last night searching 350 square miles, but unfortunately didn’t find any sign of Gilyana. They suspended their search at sunset Sunday.
“You have no idea the smile he would get on his face whenever he would get in his canoe, then try to catch a wave with it," said Task Force Hydro1 Co-founder Leo Yui.
Yui met Eiffel Gilyana through his work with Task Force Hydro 1 – a group that addresses mental health and emotional healing for veterans and active duty members through water sports.
Gilyana serves as the group’s fitness advisor, making sure everyone is conditioned to handle the water.
“That’s something that really helped him a lot, just getting out in the ocean, sharing the stoke and sharing that experience with everyone," said Yui.
Gilyana got separated from his group of kayakers in Vilano Beach Saturday morning.
When they finally found his kayak, it was turned over, with no sign of Gilyana.
The Coast Guard searched all day Saturday and through the night, eventually suspending its search at sundown Sunday.
Yui and the rest of Task Force Hydro 1 did their own search on Sunday.
“We covered around 10-12 miles, just looking around the different pockets around the island, different spots and also checking the shoreline," said Yui.
Yui will spend his Christmas back on the water, hoping for some sign of his friend.
“If I was missing, he would be the one getting on his outrigger, looking for me.”
Task Force Hydro1 will be meeting up at the Salt Run boat ramp near the lighthouse at 8:30 Monday morning.
They’re asking anyone willing to paddle with them or walk along the beach to search to join them there.