Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

The body of a superfit male model has been recovered two days after he was sept out to sea by a huge wave while fishing with his girlfriend on a beach.

Tunay Antunes Pedroso, 30 – an experienced diver from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – was fishing at the idyllic beauty spot of Mirante do Roncador (Roncador Lookout), on Rio’s Grumari beach.

His girlfriend – named as Joci Selinke, 39 – was also hit by the wave on 14th June but reportedly managed to cling to some rocks.

Terrified Joci raised the alarm and a huge air-sea rescue operation was put into motion scouring the Atlantic Ocean near the coast where he disappeared.

She said they often went fishing at that spot and added: “The sea was very rough but we were far away, but then a huge wave came and knocked him down.

“We were on the beach and he told me to run to the rocks and hold on before he was swept away. I just want him back.”

The body was eventually found two days later late yesterday (Thursday) and the identity has been confirmed by the dead man’s family.

The search operation included boats, divers and aircraft support, according to Brazilian media.

The young man was from the city of Tubarao, in Santa Catarina, but had lived in Rio de Janeiro for a year where he completed a degree in medical radiology and a degree in physical education in 2021.

He was passionate about sports and regularly posted images of himself diving, running and motorcycling on social media.