Fears for British professional surfer, 28, after he disappeared during paddle boarding excursion off Portuguese coast

Published: 15:36, 28 July 2026 | Updated: 15:37, 28 July 2026 A British professional surfer has gone missing during a stand-up paddle boarding excursion off the coast of Portugal. Police and coastguards were continuing to search for 28-year-old Great Britain junior star Arran Strong today after he vanished in the Atlantic Ocean near the picture-postcard resort of Arrifana, a short drive up from the Algarve. The alarm was sounded just after 11.30am yesterday. Overnight, the friend Arran was out on the ocean with posted a heartbreaking farewell to the sportsman, who had competed on the Olympic stage after his 2016 fifth-place finish in the European Under 18s earned him an invitation to represent Great Britain at the WSL World Championship in Australia. Jose Maria Pyrrait, who had been doing a 560-mile paddle boarding marathon along the Portuguese coast, wrote in his emotional goodbye publication to Arran: 'Today was a day of irreparable loss and profound sadness. 'Arran Strong, who accompanied me during the stage between Zambujeira and Monte Clerigo, is no longer with us. 'Yesterday, during the stage that was to take us from Monte Clerigo to Carrapateira, he disappeared from his board while we were about a mile offshore from Arrifana. 'To sum it up, we stopped off Arrifana to drink some water and take a few photos. British surfer Arran Strong r has gone missing during a stand-up paddle boarding excursion off the coast of Portugal Police and coastguards were continuing to search for 28-year-old on Tuesday  Arran was born in the UK but had been based in Portugal since he was a child '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. I paddled to it as fast as I could, dived over and over again looking for him, but we were in a very deep area, and visibility was extremely poor. 'I called my support partner on land, who immediately alerted the rescue services. 'A local fisherman picked me up, along with the boards, and we spent nearly two and a half hours searching the entire surrounding area with the boat's sonar. He remains missing to this day and, sadly, there is virtually no chance that he is still alive. 'Arran was like a son to me. Since he was 10 years old, he trained with me and spent weekends and holidays with me. 'As I used to tell his mother, he was like the child of divorced parents. 'My love for him was like the love for another son that life had given me. 'Strangely enough, he always told me he would die young. Right now, I feel a deep pain. The only faint comfort is that he departed at sea, the place he loved most. 'He was young, with a pure and kind heart, but he is gone. I feel empty and exhausted, but life goes on. Mr Strong had been paddle boarding off the coast of Arrifana with a friend when he went missing 'I know he would never have accepted me stopping because of him. 'He was resilient like few others, so I will pause for a few days and, God willing, on Sunday, 2 August, I will resume the crossing—in mourning, but with Arran in my heart. 'For him, and for all the beautiful memories I have, despite the pain I carry with me, I will reach the end, if God wills it. Arraan was born in the UK but had been based in Portugal since he was a child. The accomplished surfer revealed in an old social post that he was looking for sponsors for his 'dream' of competing in the 2020 Olympics, where he flagged up his achievements in his younger years, which included a fifth ranking in the 2016 European Juniors. Maritime Police chief Hugo Bravo da Guia, captain of Lagos Port who is coordinating the rescue operation, said early today: 'The searches were resumed this morning. 'Our aim is to continue searching from land, sky and ocean, but the fog in the morning only allowed us to carry out land searches. We hope we can use more means as soon as the fog dissipates. 'We are still very much focused on finding him. '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 well-placed source added: 'All the information gathered so far points to the possibility he had a health issue while paddling.' Online records show Arran competed as a surfer in the 2025/2026 season, taking part in the Caparica Surf Fest 2025 and the Pro Taghazout Bay in Morocco.