Missing fisherman's paddle board found nearly a dozen miles offshore

MIAMI - A paddleboard and a dry bag belonging to a missing fisherman were found almost a dozen miles offshore, the U.S. Coast Guard said this Wednesday.

Luciano Mercenari , 29, a skilled paddle boarder and fisherman left his home in the Cape Florida neighborhood of Key Biscayne around 5:15 p.m. on Monday.

"He was supposed to go to Stiltsville and he usually does these trips in about two hours and comes back before sundown. He has not shown up so we have been looking for him yesterday and today, all over, by sea, by air, and with paddle boards around the island. We are hoping we will find him," said family friend Gretel Capriles on Tuesday.

Multiple agencies including the Coast Guard, Miami-Dade Police, and Florida Fish and Wildlife are taking part in the search .

On Wednesday morning, just after 8 a.m., the U.S. Coast Guard posted on X, formerly Twitter

, that "a good Samaritan located a paddleboard and dry bag belonging to the overdue paddleboarder 8-11 miles offshore between Miami and Fort Lauderdale."

Capriles said Mercenari had made the trip to Stiltsville before and never had a problem.

"He is an amazing person and a fisherman. He also won a rowing championship and was a national champ. His nickname was LUC for light. He would Light up everyone around him," she said.

The Coast Guard said the search for Mercenari continues.