Pyrrait is crossing the Portuguese coast on a stand-up paddleboard and was accompanied by Strong, 27, who has been living in Portugal for several years, during the leg between Zambujeira do Mar and Monte Clérigo beach, in Aljezur.

“Today was a day of irreparable loss and deep sadness. Arran Strong, who accompanied me during the leg between Zambujeira and Monte Clérigo, is no longer with us. Yesterday [27 July], during the leg that would go from Monte Clérigo to Carrapateira, he disappeared from his board when we were about a mile off the coast of Arrifana,” Pyrrait wrote on social media.

The experienced surfer, who is about to turn 61, revealed that the two stopped off Arrifana "to drink water and take some photos," saying that he saw his board "adrift about 100 meters away" after they had restarted the leg.

"I paddled as fast as I could to get there. I dove countless times looking for it, but we were in a very deep area, and the visibility was very poor. I asked my partner on land for help, who automatically activated the rescue resources. A local fisherman picked me up, along with the boards, and we spent nearly two and a half hours scanning the entire surrounding area with the boat's sonar," he said, considering that there are "practically zero chances of being alive."

Portuguese League Surfer

Arran Strong was currently sixth in the Portuguese Surf League and 46th in the World Surf League (WSL) qualifiers.

Since 27 July, search teams have been trying to find the missing man, "following an alert received at 11:33 am, through the friend who was accompanying him in the activity," and "searches were immediately initiated at the site, coordinated by the Port Captain and Local Commander of the Maritime Police of Lagos," according to the National Maritime Authority (AMN).

The search for the young man who disappeared while practising 'stand up paddle' on Arrifana beach, in Aljezur, resumed on 28 July, but fog is hindering the operation by sea, a source from the port authority told Lusa.

In statements to Lusa, the Port Captain of Lagos, Hugo da Guia, said that the operation should also include an Air Force helicopter and a lifeboat, but, at 9:30 am, the fog did not allow any visibility, and they are waiting for the weather conditions to improve to integrate these resources into the search.