A three-day search for a missing man who had gone surfing off O'ahu's North Shore was called off yesterday afternoon after firefighters could not find any sign of him, an official said.

Shark-warning signs at Laniakea Beach, Papailoa Beach and Chun's Reef were removed at 11:30 a.m. yesterday after Ocean Safety and Lifeguard Services personnel did not see any sharks in the area.

Firefighters resumed the search for the man at 8 a.m. yesterday after a resident found a tattered pair of black shorts on Papailoa Beach and called police, who identified the shorts as belonging to the missing surfer. The missing man was described as a visitor in his mid-30s and was reported to be wearing black shorts.

"We didn't find anything," Fire Capt. Terry Seelig said. "We searched by air, water and the beach."

The family has been notified, Seelig said. Until new information comes to light, firefighters will not resume their search. "We feel we've done everything we can," Seelig said.

The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i is helping the man's wife of six years and his family. Visitor Aloha Society officials described the swimmer as a 35-year-old man from Beijing who was living in Sunnyvale, Calif.