Mikey Rijavec Dead: Foul Play Fears for SD Fish and Sips Star Week After Mayday Call

A fishing influencer who vanished at sea after issuing a frantic mayday call has been found dead days later in Mexican waters, confirming the worst fears of his family and followers.

The tragic discovery of Mikey Rijavec's body marks a devastating conclusion to the search, leaving the fishing community in shock and authorities questioning exactly what happened on the water that day.

The Heartbreaking Discovery in Mexican Waters

After days of desperate searching and dwindling hope, the body of Mikey Rijavec, best known for his popular SD Fish and Sips YouTube channel, was recovered on Sunday. The discovery was made in the waters near San Cristobal, marking a devastating end to the rescue operation.

His brother, Gregory, confirmed the news in a sorrowful update on a GoFundMe page that had been established to assist the search efforts. The recovery of his body brings a final, tragic note to a week filled with anxiety for his family and fans.

A Distressing Mayday Call Cut Short

The timeline of the tragedy began on the afternoon of 11 November, which was the last time anyone heard from Rijavec. He was navigating his solo skiff roughly eight miles off the rugged coast of Baja California when disaster struck.

Rijavec managed to issue a mayday call from his boat, signaling that he was in immediate danger. According to reports, he was fishing when he encountered severe difficulties. Fellow anglers attempted to help him with his reported engine trouble over the phone, but the call suddenly ended, NBC San Diego reported. That abrupt disconnection launched a frantic race against time.

The Grim Discovery of the Capsized Vessel

Following the harrowing mayday call, a massive, full-out search operation was launched involving both the US Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy. Rescuers scoured the ocean for any sign of the skilled angler or his vessel.

The situation turned dire on Thursday when search crews located his turquoise boat. It was discovered floating upside down, drifting approximately five miles from the coast. The sight of the capsized vessel confirmed the severity of the incident, though Rijavec was nowhere to be found at that time, prompting rescuers to continue their efforts before the US agency suspended its involvement.

By Friday, the US Coast Guard had made the difficult decision to stop searching for Rijavec, leaving the remainder of the operation to Mexican authorities, according to a statement sent to NBC San Diego.

Friends Speculate on Foul Play and Other Dangers

While the discovery of the body provides answers to his location, the events leading up to Rijavec's death are not immediately clear. The mystery surrounding the engine trouble and the sudden end to the call has fueled speculation among those who know the waters best.

'What could have happened? Oh my god, it's endless,' Phil Friedman, a friend helping in the search, told the outlet. Friedman expressed concerns that the incident might be more than a simple accident.

'It could be foul play. You never know, it's something that happens at sea sometimes,' he speculated. 'It could be a whale, it could be a shark.' These theories highlight the unpredictable and perilous nature of solo fishing in such remote waters.

Remembering a Beloved Angler and Brother

Despite the questions that remain, the Rijavec family is focusing on the memory of the man they lost. In his statement, Gregory Rijavec touched upon the immense outpouring of support they received.

'As difficult as it is to accept this, we are grateful that it provides us some closure. As we begin to process and reflect on what has happened over the last several days, it is clear what was at the core of the search for Mikey: love,' Gregory Rijavec wrote in a statement for the fundraiser.

He emphasized how the community rallied together during the crisis. 'Everyone poured everything into finding Mikey, because whether they knew him or not, they knew a son, a brother, a friend, a fisherman, a fellow human needed help,' he said.

Rijavec was a skilled angler who had amassed over 20,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel, Fish and Sips. His content was filled with footage of impressive catches made from his solo skiff, earning him respect in the angling world for his expertise and passion for the sport.

The comments on his latest Instagram post have been flooded with friends and family mourning the expert fisherman. The US Coast Guard did not immediately respond to the Post's request for comment regarding the investigation.