Mikey Rijavec, the well-known American fishing influencer and creator of the YouTube channel "Fish and Sips," was found dead in Mexican waters. He had been reported missing after issuing a distress call from the sea.

The body of Mikey Rijavec was discovered near San Cristóbal, off the coast of Baja California, following a large-scale search operation. This operation involved teams from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy, as reported by several media outlets, including the New York Post .

Timeline of events

1. Disappearance: On November 11, the influencer reported an engine failure while fishing alone, about eight miles (about 13 km) from the coast.
2. Discovery of the vessel: His boat was found overturned five miles from shore shortly afterwards, raising immediate concerns about his safety.
3. Suspension of search: The US Coast Guard subsequently suspended its operations, leaving Mexican authorities to take over the continuation of the search.
4. Confirmation: Mikey Rijavec's family confirmed the tragic news via a message posted on the GoFundMe platform. His brother expressed that the discovery of the body, while painful, brought a glimmer of hope after days of uncertainty and anguish.

Outpouring of solidarity and causes of the tragedy

The family wanted to acknowledge the impressive outpouring of solidarity that has emerged, mobilizing friends, fishermen and anonymous individuals in the hope of finding the influencer.

The exact causes of the tragedy remain unknown at this time. Several hypotheses are being considered, ranging from a mechanical accident to a possible collision with a large marine animal.

Mikey Rijavec, a much-loved figure in sport fishing and known for his videos of solo fishing trips, sparked a wave of tributes on his social media following the announcement of his death.