Legendary Brazilian surfer Marcio Freire has tragically died while attempting to conquer the huge waves in Nazaré off the coast of Portugal.

On Thursday, the 47-year-old Brazilian surfer featured in the 2016 documentary "Mad Dogs," fell while training, BBC reported.

"Mad Dogs" is about the attempt of three pioneering Brazilian surfers to conquer the massive "Jaws" wave in Hawaii.

Freire had relocated to Hawaii with the goal of surfing the world's biggest and most dangerous waves.

The fatal accident reportedly occurred while Freire was practicing tow-in surfing, a technique in which surfers use artificial help, like a Jet Ski, to catch faster moving waves, compared to paddling by hand. 

Portugal's National Maritime Authority said in a statement that a Brazilian national "died this afternoon after falling while practicing surfing in Praia do Norte."

After being brought back to shore, authorities noted that rescuers discovered him in cardio-respiratory arrest and immediately started resuscitation but failed to revive him.

"After several attempts, it was not possible to reverse the situation," the Portuguese National Maritime Authority noted, adding that Freire was pronounced dead at the scene.

In the surfing community, Marcio Freire was known as a pioneer in surfing giant waves in different parts of the world.

"We didn't have any safety. It was pure courage guided by the desire to go down a huge wave," Freire said in "Mad Dogs," as quoted by Surfer Today.

He added: "The risks were many without proper safety. If an accident happened, it would be the end of the journey."

He further noted that "nothing forced" them to do what they did as it was all for their "personal satisfaction."

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Legendary Brazilian Surfer Marcio Freire of 'Mad Dogs'

The Brazilian surfer, from the state of Bahia on Brazil's eastern coast, has been surfing since he was a kid.

In his early twenties, Marcio Freire made frequent trips to Maui, Hawaii, where many of the best surfers in the world gathered.

From there, he set out to ride the most legendary waves everywhere, from Indonesia to Europe.

Because of the "Mad Dogs" documentary, Freire became a household figure in the surfing world, especially in his home Brazil, according to The Daily Mail.

Freire had described himself as a "soul surfer" and said he had difficulty turning surfing into a career.

He noted that he never earned a living from surfing, adding that only a few American businesses would be willing to sponsor a Brazilian.

"I can count the times I got money from surfing with my fingers. In 2015, I wiped out badly and earned $1,000," he said.

Tributes Poured in For Legendary Brazilian Surfer Marcio Freire

Many people have expressed their condolences to the family of Marcio Freire.

Fellow big wave surfer Nic von Rupp wrote on Instagram that "today we lost one of our own," who "surfed all day with a big smile on his face" and "that's how I'll keep him in my memory."

Thiago Jacare, another Brazilian surfer, also posted a tribute to Freire on Instagram, calling his close friend "more than an idol" and a real hero.

Aside from being a legendary surfer, sports photographer Fred Pompermayer noted that Freire was "a very good friend" who was "such a happy spirit, always with a smile on his face."

"Rest in peace, my friend," he concluded.

According to the locals, the sea was relatively safe on Thursday.  The Guardian reported that Nazare is where German surfer Sebastian Steudtner set the world record for the most giant wave ever surfed, an 86 feet wave, on October 29, 2020.

A few accidents have occurred in the area since American Garett McNamara popularized the place to the surfing community in the early 2010s, but none had been fatal until Thursday.

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This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

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