Brazilian police have taken a suspect out on the river in an area where search parties are looking for the remains of British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous expert Bruno Pereira.

An Associated Press photographer in Atalaia do Norte witnessed police taking the suspect, who was in a hood, on a boat.

Federal police did not immediately answer queries from the AP seeking details.

On Tuesday, police said they had arrested a second suspect in connection with the disappearance of Mr Phillips and Mr Pereira, who were travelling in a remote area of the Amazon and disappeared on June 5.

Police arrested Oseney da Costa de Oliveira, 41, a fisherman and a brother of the man so far considered by police as the main suspect in the case, Amarildo da Costa de Oliveira, also 41, nicknamed Pelado.

De Oliveira told the AP on Friday that he had visited Pelado in jail and was told that local police had tortured him in attempts to get a confession. De Oliveira said his brother was innocent.

Both men were being held at the jail in Atalaia do Norte. Because of the hood, it was not clear who was being led by police.