Emma Kelty death: British kayaker 'murdered' in Brazil during solo Amazon trip

A British woman who went missing while on a solo kayaking trip in the Amazon has died, according to the Foreign Office.

Emma Kelty, 43, disappeared last week.

Brazilian authorities have arrested a man and two teenagers.

One of the teenagers told police that Kelty was approached by a group of men who stole her belongings and shot her.

Her body has not been found. Authorities said they had discovered her kayak and belongings.

The Foreign Office said it was “supporting the family of a British woman following her death in Brazil“.

Kelty, a former head teacher from London, went missing in northern Brazil on day 42 of her 4,000-mile trip when she was kayaking along the Solimoes River.

The area is infamous for pirates and drug traffickers.

Kelty posted updates to her Twitter account. In a tweet on 12 September she wrote that she saw “30 to 50 men armed with rifles and arrows in boats”.

She also wrote on Facebook on 10 September: "So in or near Coari (100km away) I will have my boat stolen and I will be killed too. Nice."

Two days later, she added; "Am in the clear. All OK."

Kelty had completed previous adventures including a solo ski trip to the South Pole.

She told the BBC earlier this year that she had taken a self-defence course to "minimise the risk".

"I'm going to a self-defence course which is going to be tailored to de-arming people, so if I do come across that situation at least I'm prepared for it."

Agencies contributed to this report.