Search Ends for Missing Man in Miami-Dade Canal

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, Fla. — The search for a man missing after a personal watercraft incident concluded tragically on Saturday morning when authorities discovered his body in a canal.

Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported that they received a notification about a potentially missing boater around 7 p.m. on Friday after an unoccupied jet ski was found in a canal in Kendall.

Emergency responders searched throughout the night for the jet ski’s operator. Early Saturday morning, FWC officers located a man deceased in the water, near Southwest 117th Avenue and Bird Road. The Florida FWC has not yet confirmed the exact location where the body was found in relation to the jet ski.

Friends have identified the victim as Giancarlo Gonzalez, 20, who was remembered fondly by those who knew him. Anthony Perez, a close friend, described him as a “great, great person” with a wonderful sense of humor.

“There are just so many memories that I cherish with him, and I’m going to forever miss him,” Perez said.

Melanie Saldana, another friend, shared that she had planned to ride with Gonzalez the weekend of the incident. “He loved his Jet Ski. He was fixing the speakers for two whole days,” she said. “I literally told him, ‘Don’t go today. We can go tomorrow with my sister.’”

Saldana expressed that Gonzalez had a warm, genuine heart and brought joy to those around him. She described the accident as heartbreaking and wished strength for his family during this tough time.

The FWC’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding Gonzalez’s death is ongoing, with a comprehensive report expected upon its conclusion.