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Authorities have called off a search for a British surfer who disappeared off the coast of Portugal earlier this week after failing to locate the missing man.
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Arran Strong, who had competed in the World Surf League since 2016, went missing off of Arrifana beach in Portugal’s southwestern Aljezur region on Monday.
According to Portugal’s Autoridade Marítima Nacional (AMN), the 28-year-old had reportedly got into difficulty in the water while paddleboarding with a friend from Monte Clérigo beach to Carrapateira.
The friend, who has been identified as his coach José Maria Pyrrait, was rescued by a local fishing boat, per the AMN.
Pyrrait has shared details of the moments leading up to Strong’s disappearance in a post on Instagram, writing that the pair had stopped for a drink and to take some photos as they made their way to Carrapateira.
“When we set off again, I let him go ahead,” he wrote. “As I’m a faster paddler, I always did that – whenever I caught up with him and gained a short lead, I’d stop and wait for him. This time was no different, but when I stopped to wait, I saw his board drifting about 100 metres away.
Pyrrait said he then “paddled as fast as I could” to where Strong’s board was and dived to look for him.
“But we were in very deep water and visibility was very poor, so I called for help from my partner on shore, who immediately alerted the rescue services,” he went on. “A local fisherman picked me and the surfboards up, and we spent nearly two and a half hours scanning the entire surrounding area with the boat’s sonar.”
Pyrrait added: “Arran was like a son to me; from the age of 10, he trained with me and spent his weekends and holidays with me.”
“My love for him was like that for another son that life had given me.”
In a post on Instagram, GB Surfing paid tribute to Strong, calling him a “fantastic teammate” and “respected competitor.”
“His passing is a devastating loss to our sport and the wider surfing community, and he will be greatly missed,” it said, adding: “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Arran’s family, friends, teammates and all those whose lives he touched.”