Toronto: Body of missing filmmaker found
For three full days searchers from the U.S. Coast Guard coordinated by Stewart’s family and friends, U.S Navy, local police and fire department, Border Control and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission searched the area, by air and sea, around the clock.
Stewart’s parents along with Stewart's sister Alexandra travelled to Florida to coordinate the search-and-rescue effort for Stewart.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we share that Rob has been found peacefully in the ocean,” said Victoria Gormley, a spokesperson for Stewart’s family adding that the Stewart’s family was heart-broken.
“There are no words. We are so deeply grateful to everyone who helped with the search and find comfort that Rob passed doing what he loved. We are working on how best to honour his incredible work and my family asks that everyone give us some private time to grieve. Thank you everyone for your support and prayers,” thestar.com reports said.
“They’re absolutely and completely devastated,” she said. “We’re deeply grateful to all the volunteers , and obviously the Coast Guard. We just lost somebody that we loved deeply.”
Stewart had disappeared since 5 p.m. Tuesday when scuba diving for the third time that day in Alligator Reef with one other person.
Stewart, filmmaker and environmental spent much of his life documenting the ocean.
At the age of 13 he began underwater photography, became a certified scuba-diving instructor at 18, and when he was 27-year-old he premiered Sharkwater at the Toronto International Film Festival.
After completing his studies he became the chief photographer for the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s various magazines.
He left photography at the age of 22 when he noticed the illegal killing of sharks in Islands’ marine reserve, according to his personal website.
His work of saving sharks, which had become his passion received international support for the protection of sharks and cruel practice of “finning” sharks for soup stock.
In 2011 municipal governments across Ontario, including Toronto and Mississauga also voted in favour of banning the sale and possession of shark fin.
His second film, Revolution released in 2012 warned of global ecological extinction in the near future.
His motivation behind Sharkwater was the belief that humans could improve the planet’s ecological condition.
“That’s why I made Sharkwater.
“But watching people go into battle to save sharks as a result of seeing my movie has turned me around.
“I believe enlightened humanity can make a difference,” said Stewart, thestar.com reports said.
Stewart died before his third film, Sharkwater: Extinction could be released in 2017.
Stewart’s parents Sandra and Brian, CEOs of a publishing company which distributes magazines in movie theatres were responsible for producing and financing both Sharkwater and Revolution.
Stewart was on the board of a conservationist and shark-protection groups and on NASA’s MEGA Global Initiative.
(Reported by Asha Bajaj, Image of Rob Stewart: Wikipedia)
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