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Arran Strong, 28, the highest-ranked British male surfer at the last two ISA World Surf Games, is presumed dead after vanishing during a training paddle off the Portuguese coast.
GB Surfing confirmed the news Tuesday, four days after Strong went missing while crossing from Monte Clerigo Beach to Carrapateira. The Autoridade Marítima Nacional halted its search Thursday.
What happened off Arrifana Strong was approximately a mile offshore with his longtime coach, Jose Maria Pyrrait, when the two paused to drink water and take pictures. After a few minutes, Pyrrait let Strong paddle ahead.
Their routine was consistent: Pyrrait would move at pace, take a short lead, then stop and wait. When Pyrrait stopped this time, he found Strong's board drifting about 100 meters away, unmanned.
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