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Fears groom was attacked by great white shark before wedding

There are fears a missing surfer due to get married next month has been taken by a great white shark.

Robert Frauenstein, 38, has been missing from Chintsa East Beach, in South Africa’s East Cape, since Tuesday.

He failed to return from the beach and friends are yet to find him.

Mr Frauenstein was due to wed Jana Hiles next month.

Ms Hiles’s sister Kerry wrote on Facebook on Thursday it’s believed Mr Frauenstein was killed after his board was recovered.

Robert Frauenstein, 38, pictured with fiancee Jana Hiles and two dogs.
Robert Frauenstein, 38, with fiancee Jana Hiles. Source: Facebook/ Robert Frauenstein

“The teeth marks in his bodyboard are confirmed as that of a very large great white shark, possibly the same shark spotted from the air earlier in the week,” she wrote.

“A media report will be released shortly from official channels to support this finding.

“We take comfort in the fact that Robert was doing what he loved and that his untimely demise would have been as swift, painless and without struggle as anyone could hope for.”

She later thanked volunteers for searching for her would-be brother-in-law ,seemingly resigned to the fact the 38-year-old had died.

Robert Frauenstein, 38, is pictured surfing.
Friends believe the surfer was taken by a shark. Source: Facebook/ Robert Frauenstein

“I cannot express enough how this generosity has touched my heart and how much it pays tribute to what a wonderful guy we had in Rob,” she wrote.

A close friend told SAPeople.com they have “come to accept” they won’t see Mr Frauenstein again.

“It is probably unlikely that we will ever find him if the shark took him fully,” they said.

Mr Frauenstein’s death is yet to be confirmed by police with an air and water search to continue on Friday (local time), News24 reported.

A great white had been spotted in the area earlier this week.

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