YouTuber Who 'Pushes the Envelope' Missing at Sea

A popular YouTuber from San Diego has gone missing off the coast of Baja California, prompting an extensive search by Mexican authorities, private boaters, and the US Coast Guard. The YouTuber, identified as Mikey Rijavec, was last heard from on Tuesday when he made a mayday call reporting engine trouble while fishing alone about 8 miles offshore, reports NBC News. The call abruptly cut off, and no further contact was made.

Rijavec's 14-foot skiff was later found adrift 5 miles from the coast, but the boat's 6-horsepower outboard engine was missing. Friends and fellow anglers, including podcaster Phil Friedman, described Rijavec as an adventurer who often "pushes the envelope." "What could have happened? Oh my God, it's endless," Friedman said, speculating on possibilities ranging from foul play to a run-in with a large sea creature.

Rijavec's disappearance has left his Ocean Beach community worried, with neighbors describing him as a passionate fisherman and a genuinely nice person. One neighbor noted the region's stormy conditions, while another called the situation "really sad." The US Coast Guard initially led the search effort on Tuesday but tells NBC 7 it has since turned over responsibility to Mexican authorities. Friedman and others are holding out hope that Rijavec may have made it to shore or is surviving at sea, possibly with the help of a survival suit.