'We need help': 3-day search for boater continues, family calls for all hands on deck

Boater's body found:Pedro Ramirez, boater found in Caloosahatchee River, remembered as strong, loving man, family says

Jessica De La Torre is among about 20 relatives searching for a missing boater the third day after his vessel capsized in the Caloosahatchee River.

De La Torre, 18, said the family is "very broken and stressed."

De La Torre's uncle, Pedro Pablo Ramirez, 40, capsized about 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the 16-foot vessel in which he was traveling with his stepfather.

"We're hopeful he's out there," De La Torre said. "He's a strong man. He's a big man."

Prior coverage:Search for missing boater continues in Caloosahatchee River on Monday, FMPD says

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Rescuers immediately started searching, including Fort Myers Police, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard. The initial search lasted through Sunday night and into Monday evening. They then resumed Tuesday morning.

"My family's very broken, stressed and we're hopeful," De La Torre said Tuesday afternoon. "We're hopeful he's out there."

De La Torre said her uncle is a good swimmer.

On Sunday, the boaters went east of the Edison Bridge after launching in Fort Myers Shores. Waves upended the boat about 4:45 p.m. Another boater pulled the stepfather from the river, police said. The family did not update his condition.

Surf-reports.com reported that waves reached up to 4 feet on the river with wind speeds as high as 19 mph around the time of the incident. The current water temperature is about 74 degrees.

Americanboating.org says that in water temperatures from 70-80 degrees, exhaustion or unconsciousness can set in within 3 to 12 hours.

Family unites in search for missing boater

"He needs to come back, and we're all trying to make him come back," De La Torre said. "We're connected. We need him back."

De La Torre said the family has been searching "from the minute the sun rises to the minute it goes down."

"Even sometimes after it goes down depending on where we are or what's going on, or how many people are around us," she said.

De La Torre said the family won't stop until Ramirez is found, adding that the family members feel they're taking on law enforcement's responsibility.

"We've been doing their job," De La Torre said, adding authorities "don't want to search somewhere where they found something" or where the family has been.

"They're listening, but they're not around," De La Torre said. "They say that they're gonna send units out and we saw maybe one boat this morning."

De La Torre said the family's seen some helicopters, but added they take breaks every few hours.

"We've asked them about drones multiple times," De La Torre said. "We asked about scuba diving, we asked about diving teams and if things are found, can they start diving? They're giving us answers, but they're not hopeful."

De La Torre said authorities are "acting like he's gone."

"That's not what we need right now," De La Torre said. "What we need is to find him."

De La Torre said the family is suffering.

"If it was one of their loved ones out here ... They would not stop," De La Torre said in tears. "They would not stop until they were found. Why is it different for our family? Aren't they supposed to be the ones to protect us, to help us when we needed to call them when we're crying?"

De La Torre said civilians are out helping locate Ramirez as authorities pause the search once the sun sets.

It was just a 'father-son day' on the water

De La Torre said Ramirez and his stepfather were enjoying the day when waves caused the vessel to capsize.

"It was just a father-son day," De La Torre said. "That's all it was. It was a normal day, something crazy happened, and now our whole family is searching for someone that we need to bring back home."

De La Torre said she wants the community to know that Ramirez is strong.

"He's a loving man and he's changed his life over and over," De La Torre said. "He's amazing, and he's strong and he knows that he has people who love him. He knows that he has a life that he needs to live."

De La Torre said her uncle also knows the water.

"He knows the way of the nature," she said. "He's kind of like a caveman."

De La Torre said the family has hope.

"He's holding on ... We can feel it," De La Torre said as relatives continue to search on boats and on foot, some using binoculars, comparing their efforts to "parkour."

Parkour is a sport participants attempt to get from point "A" to point "B" in the fastest and most efficient way possible, without equipment, often defaulting to gymnastic maneuvers.

"We really just need help. We can't do it alone," De La Torre said. "We're exhausted and we're sad, and we just want to hug our family for a second ... We can't even do that because not a second can be wasted."

How are authorities searching for Ramirez?

Kristin Capuzzi, spokesperson for Fort Myers Police, told The News-Press officers resumed their search 6 a.m. Tuesday, adding that FWC leads the investigation.

Hailee Seely, FWC spokesperson said the FWC, firefighters, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Myers Police and the U.S. Coast Guard began the search Sunday and searched late into the night.

Seely said the search is ongoing.

"The FWC would like to remind people in the area that this is an ongoing investigation, please steer clear of any area where you see officers searching," Seely wrote.

Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@gannett.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Twitter @TomasFRoBeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran and Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Missing boater's family remains hopeful third day of search in Fort Myers