Teenage Pro Surfer Reportedly Killed Catching Hurricane Irma's Waves In Barbados

Bleeding and unresponsive, he was pulled out of the water by Nathan Florence, who was among a cadre of pros who flew over to Barbados to catch the mega-swell now being generated by Hurricane Irma.

Zander Venezia of Barbados was among a group of pro surfers on the island who set out "to catch the mega-swell now being generated by Hurricane Irma", according to Surfline.com, which first reported Venezia's death.

Local surf instructor and former pro Alan Burke told Surfline: 'He was knocked unconscious and drowned.

The Barbados newspaper Nation News called Venezia one of the island's most promising junior surfers. Fellow surfers got Venezia to shore and performed CPR, but although the teen was reportedly breathing when he arrived at a hospital, he didn't recover. They tried to get him to the beach quickly, which was hard.

Some media reports have said Venezia likely sustained a broken neck.

Graves posted an image of Venezia on his board to Instagram on Wednesday to say he is still in shock.

"What an absolute pleasure it was meeting you earlier this year", Graves wrote. "I didn't know you long but you seemed like the nicest kid". I was so impressed.

Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of this very talented, very likable Bajan surfer.

The Olympic hopeful's death has rocked the surfing community with tributes pouring in from friends, including Kelly Slater, who shared a photo of himself and Venezia in 2006, when Venezia was 5 years old.

"By all accounts you were as good a friend as you were a surfer.thank you for the impact you had on those around you for a life lived with joy and goal", Slater wrote. You were charging and had the happiest smile on your face every time I saw you. "I will cherish it always".

The son of a surfer, Venezia won the Rip Curl Grom Search in the Outer Banks in North Carolina in mid-August, and in April he won the National Scholastic Surfing Association regional championships.