Search for missing Toronto filmmaker continues

A Toronto filmmaker Rob Stewart, 37, was not seen after emerging from a dive off the coast of the Florida Keys on Tuesday.

“There are a lot of variables that go into how long someone can survive in the water. Everything from water temperature to wave heights to experience of the person in the water and athletic ability,” U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Eric Woodall told CP24 this morning.

“Everything is pretty favourable with Mr. Stewart. The water has been pretty warm and he has a lot of experience in the water. All that factors into our search patterns and where we are looking for him.”

A post on Rob Stewart’s Facebook by Louis Aguirre stated: “Pray for Rob Stewart, missing now for days while diving off the coast of Florida. This brave soul was out there trying to change people's attitudes toward sharks. Having been face to face with some of the most feared, I learned they really don't want to hurt us. We're not on the menu. Unfortunately they are. We are killing 100 million sharks a year and in effect killings our oceans. The world needs more Rob Stewarts. Sending so much love and so many prayers to Rob, his family and friends.”

According to friends and family of Stewart, who is best known for his 2006 documentary “Sharkwater”, he was in Florida shooting a development to that film.

Stewart was diving near Alligator Reef in Islamorada in Florida on Tuesday afternoon with two other people when one of his colleagues collapsed and the group rushed to help him.

Stewart’s sister said she had seen Rob Stewart and a dive instructor returning to the surface off the coast of the Florida Keys around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“It was very deep and very technical, even among sophisticated divers, there are very few who can dive to 70 metres which was the depth of the dive site,” Stewart explained. “Both of the divers surfaced. Rob had given the okay signal to tell the boat that he was okay. The second diver struggled getting onto the boat and then lost consciousness. There was a bit of a commotion surrounding that and by the time they went back to look at Rob, they had lost him,” CityNews reports said.

Stewart’s sister said she feared that her brother also had become unconscious.

She said her parents and her husband were helping manage search efforts in Florida, but they still needed more people with experience.

Coast Guard senior chief Nyx Cangemi said crews had been looking for Stewart since he was reported missing.

“As long as there’s a chance of survival, we’re going to search,” Cangemi said in an interview. “We remain hopeful that we’ll be able to find him alive,” CTVNews reports said.

Cangemi said the emergency call about Stewart came from the crew of the Pisces, the boat the filmmaker had been on.

He said the search for Stewart included boat and helicopter crews. The U.S. Navy, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office are also helping.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel searched through the night on Thursday for the third consecutive day but to no avail.

Woodfall told CP24 that crews had searched a 3,948 square mile area for Stewart and are optimistic that he would be found alive.

Meanwhile, friends and family of Stewart had opened a Go Fund Me campaign and were able to raise more than $150,000.

“They’re doing everything they can with what they have,” said Tyler MacLeod, who organized the campaign. “Friends of Rob have gone out there, rented a boat with night goggles. Anyone who can help us, we have money, we can pay. We need boats with night vision capabilities. We’ve been able to flood the efforts during the day but it’s at night where we are struggling,” CP24 reports said.

(Reported by Asha Bajaj)