TOKYO - A ONE-ARMED Japanese yachtsman feared to have been kidnapped by pirates in the Indian Ocean has been confirmed safe in the Thai resort island of Phuket, according to the foreign ministry here.

Officials of the Japanese embassy in Thailand met Akio Yonago in Phuket on Thursday and confirmed he was safe, the ministry said in a statement.

Mr Yonago, 62, went missing after he sailed alone from the Seychelles on his boat, the Emu II, on April 28, sparking fears that he may have been kidnapped in the pirate-infested waters off the islands.

The adventurer had sailed into Phuket on June 8 and had no encounter with pirates during his voyage, according to the ministry.

His arrival had been delayed because of a lack of wind and engine trouble, according to Jiji Press news agency.

Mr Yonago has sailed solo across the Pacific and the Atlantic. -- AFP