The body of a British yachtsman allegedly bludgeoned to death by three pirates has been found, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said.

Three Burmese migrants are accused of slitting the throat of 64-year-old Malcolm Robertson and throwing his body overboard when they raided his 44ft Bruce Roberts cutter, Mr Bean, as he sailed with wife Linda off the Andaman sea coast off Thailand last week.

A spokeswoman for the FCO confirmed that a body had been found on Monday and that it has been confirmed as that of businessman Mr Robertson, from St Leonards, East Sussex.

Reports in Thailand said that his body was recovered by fishermen about 10 nautical miles north of Satun’s Lipeh Island.

The discovery ends a week of anxiety for Mr Robertson’s family, who had to endure several false reports of his body being found.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: ‘A body recovered by the Thai authorities on Monday has been identified as Mr Robertson. Our thoughts are with Mrs Robertson and her family at this difficult time.’

The three migrant workers who were arrested on a raft about half a mile from the couple’s 44ft yacht were charged with kidnap, assault and theft. But Thai authorities said that they could not bring a murder charge until they found Mr Robertson’s body.

Mr Roberts owned a string of coffee shops in and around his home town of Hastings and St Leonards. The business, however, was run by his children in recent years and Mr Roberts was semi-retired, spending the winter months sailing around warmer climes in his yacht with his wife. They were both qualified Yachtmasters who had sailed around the world.