Three arrested on suspicion of murder after man vanishes from sailing boat off Dorset coast
The man was not reported missing until two days after he is thought to have disappeared
Three men have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a man who went missing from a sailing boat off the Dorset coast.
Listen to this article
Police were alerted on Sunday to the disappearance of the man who was reported to have gone into the water from a vessel in Arne Bay on Friday evening.
A Dorset Police spokesman said three men, aged 22, 31 and 46, have been arrested as searches continue.
He said: “Dorset Police received a report at 6.56pm on Sunday May 31 reporting that a man was believed to have gone into the water from a sailing boat in the area of Arne Bay between around 8pm and 9pm on Friday May 29.
“An investigation is under way into the circumstances of him going missing and the subsequent reporting of the matter two days later.
Read more: 'I can't breathe': Bodycam clip shows officers handcuffing student as he lay dying on the floor
Read more: Brothers guilty of 1984 hate crime killing of civil servant
“His whereabouts remains unknown and detailed searches are being carried out to try and locate him.
“As part of the investigation, three men – a 46-year-old from Poole, a 31-year-old of no fixed abode and a 22-year-old from Essex – have been arrested on suspicion of murder and remain in police custody.”
The spokesman said the arrests were “made to assist the investigation in gathering information and also to provide legal protection to those involved as inquiries continue”.
He added: “Officers are working hard to establish a clear picture of what happened and we would urge people to refrain from speculating on the circumstances of this incident as a thorough investigation is carried out into the matter.”