A British professional surfer, 28-year-old Arran Strong, has gone missing during a stand-up paddle boarding excursion off the coast of Portugal. Police and coastguards resumed their search on Tuesday near the resort of Arrifana, located north of the Algarve.
The alarm was raised on Monday after Strong disappeared from his board approximately one mile offshore. He was paddle boarding with a friend, Jose Maria Pyrrait, who was undertaking a 560-mile marathon along the Portuguese coast.
Pyrrait described the moment Strong vanished. "We stopped off Arrifana to drink some water and take a few photos," Pyrrait wrote in a social media post. "We stayed there for a few minutes talking, and when we set off again, I let him go ahead. As my pace is faster, I always did that. When I caught up with him and gained a short lead, I would 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 attempted to find Strong, diving repeatedly into the deep water with poor visibility. He alerted his support partner on land, who then contacted rescue services. A local fisherman assisted in the search, using sonar, but Strong remains missing. Pyrrait expressed grave concerns, stating, "there is virtually no chance that he is still alive."
Arran Strong was born in the UK but had been based in Portugal since childhood. He had competed internationally, earning an invitation to represent Great Britain at the WSL World Championship in Australia following a fifth-place finish in the 2016 European Under 18s. Records indicate he competed in the 2025/2026 season, including events like the Caparica Surf Fest 2025 and the Pro Taghazout Bay in Morocco. An online post from Strong mentioned his aspiration to compete in the 2020 Olympics.
Maritime Police chief Hugo Bravo da Guia stated that search efforts were continuing from land, sky, and sea, though morning fog initially limited operations. "We are still very much focused on finding him," he said. "Both friends were paddling along the coast. The wind was fine, the ocean was fine. Nothing in the weather conditions appears to explain a disappearance in such conditions, considering also their experience."
A source close to the investigation suggested that the disappearance might be linked to a health issue. Pyrrait, who had a close bond with Strong, described him as being "like the child of divorced parents" and like a son to him. He also recalled Strong often saying he would die young, finding comfort that he "departed at sea, the place he loved most."