AN INVESTIGATION continued today after a man was killed on a yacht near the Isle of Wight.

The yachtsman, who was in his 30s, was fatally injured at about 1.30pm on Monday after he was hit by the boom and suffered severe head injuries.

A Marine Accident Investigation Branch spokesman confirmed this morning that the agency had begun enquiries into the incident, but would not comment further.

Hampshire Constabulary officers were called to the scene but are not treating the man’s death as suspicious. A file has been prepared for the coroner.

A spokesman for the Isle of Wight coroner’s office said: “An inquest will be opened in due course when we have had a post-mortem examination, which will take place this week.”

Following the incident a winchman was lowered from a helicopter into the yacht, where the man was confirmed to have died by a paramedic. The lifeboat had also acted as a go-between for the winchman and took him on board.