The French coastguard has called off its air and sea search for Quiksilver CEO Pierre Agnes, after his unmanned fishing boat was found washed up on the Atlantic coast.
Two boats and four helicopters had been deployed to search for the missing 54-year-old, who left shore early Tuesday morning.
Agnes had informed port authorities that his return to shore had been hampered by severe fog. Later, his 11-metre vessel was discovered near the surfing locale of Hossegor.
The surfing magnate was promoted to the role of CEO in 2015, after 27 years of service to the company. Agnes oversaw international operations from the comany’s European headquarters in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, near the Spanish border.
Quiksilver rebranded as Boardriders in 2017, while retaining ownership of the Quiksilver, Roxy, and DC Shoes brands. Earlier this year, Boardriders purchased Billabong in a deal reportedly worth $200 million.
