Hunt for missing yachtsman goes on

Malcolm Robertson, 64, of Hastings, East Sussex, was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer and thrown overboard while sailing in Thailand on Monday.

Colonel Lerdchai Thinrat, of Thai police, said earlier reports that Mr Robertson's body had been found by a fisherman had proved to be false.

"I was told that the body had been found," said Col Lerdchai. "I contacted Bangkok immediately to report to the family. Some of the fishing boats told the police station around there that he had found a body. I sent a speedboat up there immediately but it was not there."

The Foreign Office said: "The Thai authorities are continuing their investigation and are still searching the area."

The brother of Mr Robertson's wife Linda, John Clee, 63, from Battle, East Sussex, said: "I received a text message from one of Linda's children this morning. He said that he had been told there was a body originally but the consulate had since told him it was a false alarm."

Thai police arrested and charged three fishermen from neighbouring Burma with murder and robbery on Tuesday. They allegedly confessed to climbing aboard the yacht, beating Mr Robertson with a hammer and throwing his body overboard after he found them trying to steal a dinghy.

They then forced Mrs Robertson, 57, to steer the yacht to shore, police said. They fled in a raft when they saw Thai national park employees passing by in a boat, it was claimed.

Mrs Robertson, who was stripped and tied up below deck for hours, escaped with minor injuries.

The retired couple had been sailing their yacht, Mr Bean, from Phuket to the Malaysian island of Langkawi.