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Australian surfers mourn death of surfer in Indonesia

Xinhua, August 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Surfers on the east coast of Australia are holding vigil on Friday after an Australian man was killed while surfing in Indonesia's Mentawai Islands.

Ronald Stephen Schneider, 54, passed away at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday after being slammed into rocks by a wave off the Mentawai Islands in Western Sumatra.

The Mentawai Islands are a popular destination for Australia's surfing community, though only the experienced dare surf the dangerous waves found there.

Local media reported on Friday that Schneider was a "quiet and gentle soul" who was "deeply loved" within the close-knit Sawtell community on the New South Wales mid north coast.

Schneider's brother-in-law, Michael Greenwood, posted a tribute to social media, "You went out in the best way possible. Surfing in a beautiful tropical location, you always had a way about you."

Australian officials are providing support to Schneider's family in Australia while Indonesian authorities prepare to repatriate the man's body. Endi