Murder arrests after man missing from boat found in Poole Harbour

Three men are being held on suspicion of murder after the body of a man who went missing from a sailing boat was found. The victim, believed to be Michael Mitchell, 35, from Chelmsford in Essex, is thought to have gone in the water at Arne Bay, in Poole Harbour, on Friday evening but the incident was not reported until Sunday. Dorset Police said his body was from the water in Poole Harbour on Tuesday and detectives were investigating the circumstances of his death. A 46-year-old from Poole, a 31-year-old of no fixed address and a 22-year-old from Essex remain in custody. No formal identification has taken place but the family of Mitchell, known by them as "Mitch", have been updated. The arrested men and the man who died are believed to be known to each other. Police received the report shortly before 19:00 BST on Sunday, saying a man was believed to have gone into the water in the area of Arne Bay between 20:00 and 21:00 on Friday. A report was received shortly after 06:00 on Tuesday that a man had been found unresponsive in the water near Baiter Park in Poole. Officers have urged anyone with information or anyone who had recent contact with Mitchell to contact them. A local author

Jun 2, 2026 → Jun 2, 2026