Professional surfer Arran Strong was presumed dead four days after going missing off the coast of Portugal in a tragic incident, the sports governing body in the UK confirmed.The 28-year-old was a mile off the coast with his coach, Jose Maria Pyrrait, when the pair stopped to take a drink of water and take pictures.After taking a break for a few minutes, Pyrrait let Strong go ahead of him and then lost sight of him."In short: we stopped off Arrifana to drink water and take some pictures.
We were there for a few minutes talking, when we started again," Pyrrait wrote in a post on Instagram."I let him go ahead.
Since my pace is faster.I always do that.
When I would catch it and get a short lead I’d stop and wait for it."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMArran Strong of Great Britain looks on during Qualifying Round 2 of the ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro on Aug.21, 2020, in Pantin Beach, La Coruna, Spain.
(Jose Manuel Alvarez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)"This time it was no different, but when I stopped to wait, I saw your board drifting about 100 meters away.I paddled as fast as I could to get there, diving repeatedly looking for it, but we were in a really deep area and visibility was very short."Pyrrait said he immediately reached out to his partner on shore for help, and a local fisherman picked him up.
They spent nearly 2 1/2 hours "scouring" the area for Strong using the boat’s sonar.The Autoridade Marítima Nacional (AMN) told BBC Sport it was alerted to Strong having difficulties in the water at 11:33 BST Monday."The young man disappeared at sea while crossing from Monte Clerigo Beach to Carrapateira," the AMN told the outlet.ZERO BS.JUST DAKICH.
TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD.DOWNLOAD NOW!Britain's Arran Strong competes in the men's repechage 6 heat 5 during day 7 of the ISA World Surfing Games, a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, off La Marginal beach in Arecibo, P.R., on March 1, 2024.
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