Professional surfer presumed dead after going missing at sea
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A professional surfer is missing at sea and presumed dead after disappearing off the coast of Portugal.
British surfer Aaran Strong went missing on Monday and authorities on Friday decided to call off the search, BBC Sport reports.
British surfer Aaran Strong. Arran Strong
The 28-year-old was surfing with his coach Jose Maria Pyrrait on Monday when he suddenly disappeared, leaving his board floating in the water.
Pyrrait explained what happened in a post on Instagram.
“When I stopped to wait, I saw your board drifting about 100 metres away,” he wrote.
“I paddled as fast as I could to get there, diving repeatedly looking for you, but we were in a deep area and visibility was very short. I called my partner on land for help, who automatically activated the rescue.
“Arran was like a son to me. From the age of 10 he trained with me and spent weekends and holidays with me, as his mother said, he was like a son of divorced parents. My love for him, was like another son that life gave me,” he wrote.
“Rest in peace my ‘son’.”
Pyrrait was picked up by a fishing boat and spent two and a half hours looking for Strong before authorities took over.
Tributes have begun pouring in for Strong, who had competed on the World Surf League tour for the past decade and represented Great Britain at the World Surfing Games, finishing as the highest ranked Brit at the past two.
“Beyond his performances in the water, Arran was a fantastic teammate, respected competitor and a kind, generous presence whose passion for surfing left a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him,” GB Surfing said in a statement on Instagram on Tuesday.
“His passing is a devastating loss to our sport and the wider surfing community, and he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with Arran’s family, friends, team-mates and all those whose lives he touched.”
Eight-time British surfing champion Lucy Campbell posted, “The world is going to miss that smile so much. Sending my love and hugs to you all”.
