Coast Guard suspends search for missing paddleboarder “with heavy heart”

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that the search for a man who went missing near the Miami area earlier this week has been suspended.

Thursday June 27, the US Coast Guard confirmed that it had suspended the search for Luciano Mercenari, 29, a paddleboarder missing since June 24 via a press release.

“Suspending an active search and rescue case is never an easy decision, and so it is with heavy hearts that we extend our sincere condolences to Mr. Mercenari’s family and friends,” said Captain Chris Cederholm , commander of Coast Guard Sector Miami. “We are grateful to our local and state partners for their assistance in this united effort.”

Rescue teams searched approximately 2,219 square miles, an area the size of the state of Delaware, and about 67 hours of operation, the statement said.

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Around 5:15 p.m. local time on June 24, Mercenari left his family's home in Key Biscayne to go paddleboarding and never returned, according to local media outlet WSVN.

Mercenari's cousin, Allegra Jacchia, had already taken to social media to ask for help with her return. “We really need help with drones and planes from Orlando to Palm Beach. We need all the help we can get. Today it will be almost 72 hours since we lost him and, you know, every minute is critical,” Jacchia said, according to WSVN.

The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that it has conducted multiple search efforts to try to locate Mercenari. “Sector Miami observers issued an urgent maritime information broadcast and dispatched surface and air crews to conduct searches alongside state and local partner agencies,” the Coast Guard said in the statement.

A paddleboard and waterproof bag were found Tuesday morning by “a good Samaritan approximately 4 miles from Haulover Inlet,” according to the release. That person then reported what they found and the Coast Guard later determined that the items found were “related to this case.”

The Coast Guard is asking anyone with new information regarding Mercenari's disappearance to contact Coast Guard Sector Miami at 305-535-4300.