The family of Luciano Mercenari, a “professional diver and spearfisher” who went missing this week while paddling off the coast of Key Biscayne, Florida, is contacting a navigation company Ask for help.
Mercenari’s cousin, Allegra Jacchia, said in a social media post that Mercenari was wearing a Garmin brand dive watch with GPS functionality when she went missing, urging the company to release the location data.
Jacchia’s post went viral, sharing the hashtag “#FindLuc,” tagging Garmin in the hope that the company would take further action to locate Mercenari.
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“He was wearing a Garmin watch, a dive watch,” Jacquia said. “We contacted the brand and they told us there was no way to track his location as the watch had not synced with the phone since March.”
“We’re asking for more information; we’re begging them to help us find a way.”
Following public pressure, Garmin will send a team on Thursday and use sonar equipment to search for Mercenari, according to Jacchia. This news has not been confirmed by Garmin.
Biscayne police filed a missing persons report detailing the disappearance of Luciano Mercenari, who was last seen wearing a long white T-shirt on the right side. (Biscayne Police Department/Allegra Jacchia)
“We know this must be very concerning for the family and friends of Luciano Mercenari,” a Garmin spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“Garmin has been in contact with local Biscayne police since early Tuesday morning and has responded to the family’s inquiries via email. We will continue to do everything we can to support the search for Luciano.”
According to the Key Biscayne Police Department, surveillance footage shows Melsenari last leaving the residence just after 5 p.m. Monday. Police said he was wearing a “white long-sleeved shirt, black and red shorts” and was carrying a gray backpack.
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Luciano Mercenari went missing while paddling off the Florida coast on Monday, but civilians found his paddle board intact. (Allegra Jacchia/Biscayne Police Department)
“Please note that he is a professional diver and spearfisher. He knows the water very, very well, so it is not unusual for him to do this,” Yaquia said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Jakia said good Samaritans found his paddle board, a teal and orange Niphean inflatable surfboard, intact nearby between 10:30 a.m. and noon on Tuesday and reported it to police.
In addition to his paddle board, Jacchia says: “[Luciano’s] wet bag [was] It has a mask, snorkel, gloves and water bottle. The paddle board was found 3.5 miles off the coast of Pompano.
Florida Fish and Wildlife officials, the U.S. Coast Guard, Miami-Dade County and Key Biscayne police were all involved in the search for Mesenari, “with boats, helicopters and airplanes out to find him,” Jacchia said. “We are doing everything we can to find him. We are a very close family and we are in great pain, but we have not lost hope.”
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Biscayne police did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Anyone with information on Mercenari’s whereabouts is asked to call Biscayne Police at 305-365-5555.
