Mad Dogs surfer Márcio Freire killed in Nazaré, Portugal

A surfer riding one of Nazaré's giant waves
(Image credit: Guillaume Pinon/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Famous Brazilian surfer Márcio Freire died on Thursday while surfing in the Portuguese town of Nazaré, reports The New York Times. Freire, 47, was one of the three Brazilian surfers featured in the 2016 documentary Mad Dogs, which recorded their attempt to conquer the giant wave "Jaws" in Hawaii.

"The rescuers found that the victim was in cardio-respiratory arrest, immediately starting resuscitation maneuvers on the sand. After several attempts, it was not possible to reverse the situation," Portugal's National Maritime Authority said in a statement, as reported by The Guardian.

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Many fans and surfers took to Instagram to pay their respects. "Your legacy will live on forever in our hearts. Until we meet again, my brother," fellow Mad Dog surfer Yuri Soledade wrote in an Instagram post.

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Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US

Anahi Valenzuela has worked as an editorial assistant at The Week since 2022, where she assists with magazine content and covers the week's best photos. She started her career as a media producer at The Daily Californian and a writer for College Magazine.