The man's wife, also in the dinghy, raised the alarm when she managed to get to the shore.

The tragedy happened on the Cornish side of the river Tamar late on Saturday night.

The woman was helped ashore by local people at Saltash, east Cornwall, around 10pm.

The woman, who was taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for treatment, said that she and her husband were in the craft when it capsized.

A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman said a land, air and sea search was launched.

It involved the police helicopter, two RNLI lifeboats from Plymouth, Ministry of Defence craft, and a Coastguard rescue boat and shore team. The body of a man was later recovered from the water and he was pronounced dead at Derriford Hospital.

Devon and Cornwall Police said those involved were not being named as next of kin had not yet been informed.

A spokesman for Brixham coastguard said it was thought the couple, believed to be in their 60s, were returning to their moored yacht when they fell into the river from their tender. The spokesman said: "Apparently she dropped a rucksack into the water, leaned out and the boat capsized."

The woman was rescued when a lifebuoy was thrown to her after her cries for help were heard ashore.