ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Update: The body of Eiffel Gilyana, 46, the man who went missing while canoe surfing near the St. Augustine Inlet on Saturday, was found Tuesday, according to a family friend.
Leonardo Yui, who is also a member of Hydro Task Force-1 which was leading the search efforts for Gilyana on Monday and Tuesday, confirmed his body was located north of Vilano Beach on Tuesday afternoon.
This comes after four days of searching for Gilyana after he was separated from a group of canoeists Saturday morning and disappeared. Gilyana's canoe was recovered from the water on Saturday without him 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 held their own search for Gilyana on Monday and Tuesday.
Yui said he never imagined he'd spend his Christmas morning searching the surf to find his missing friend.
"His family and I were supposed to have dinner last night," he said.
About 70 people searched for Gilyana Tuesday, and veterans from Georgia also showed up to aid in the search, according to Yui.
Gilyana's family held a prayer vigil alongside the Jewish Community Alliance on Christmas evening.
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."