Kenya army in hunt for kidnapped UK tourist

The Kenyan military has joined the hunt for a British woman kidnapped after her husband was shot dead as they holidayed at a beach resort.

David Tebbutt, 58, and his wife Judith, 56, were on holiday at the remote Kiwayu Safari Village, near the Kenyan border with Somalia, when the attack happened during the early hours of yesterday morning.

There are suspicions that the gang was from Somalia and used a speedboat to get away from the isolated island resort – which has played host to artist Tracey Emin, actress Imelda Staunton and reportedly Sir Mick Jagger.

The Foreign Office has confirmed that two British nationals were attacked overnight at a resort north of Lamu.

A spokesman said: “One was killed and another kidnapped.

“We have deployed a consular team from our High Commission in Nairobi and are offering all possible support to the family of those involved.

“We are working to secure the safe and swift release of the British national who has been kidnapped and ask those involved to show compassion and release the individual immediately.”

The Foreign Office urges against all but essential travel to within 30km of Kenya’s border with Somalia.

Its website says: “There have been previous attacks by Somali militia into Kenya. Three aid workers were kidnapped in July 2009, and two western nuns in November 2008.”

It also warns against piracy, referring to the kidnapping of a British couple in October 2009, as they sailed from the Seychelles to Tanzania.

Retired couple Paul and Rachel Chandler, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, spent 388 days in capitivity until they were released last November after a ransom understood to be as much as $1 million (£620,000) was paid.