The head of surfwear brand Quiksilver is missing in the Atlantic Ocean after his boat was found washed up on a French beach, reports CNN.
Pierre Agnes -- the CEO of Boardriders, Quiksilver's parent company -- set out aboard his motorboat on a routine fishing trip on Tuesday morning from Capbreton, a surfing resort in southwestern France.
French authorities deployed four vessels and four helicopters on Tuesday to search for him after the boat was discovered run aground and empty on a beach along the French coast north of Biarritz.
"The Boardriders family and entire surfing world are devastated by this news," the company said in a statement Tuesday. "We are concentrating on working with the local authorities on the search and rescue effort and supporting Pierre's family."
The local coast guard said it had suspended the search for Agnes on Tuesday night and would resume the operation on Wednesday morning.
Agnes often goes fishing in the morning on his "beloved boat" to start his day, Boardriders said. He lives in Capbreton, his hometown, with his wife and three children.
His disappearance caused consternation in the surfing community around the world.
"I love this man," Kelly Slater, an 11-time World Surf League champion, said in an Instagram post.
"I'm praying for a miracle but it's just starting to hit me what a profound effect this man had on my life and the surf community at large," wrote Slater, who used to be sponsored by Quiksilver.