AFP

When Elon Musk accused a Thai cave rescue hero of being a "pedo", he suggested he would have been sued if it was not true. Now the diver's lawyers have confirmed that legal action is about to begin.

Mr Musk has revived the bizarre accusation in recent hours when he posted a tweet suggesting once again that Vern Unsworth, one of the divers involved in the rescue, was a paedophile. He first made the claim weeks ago, after the operation was concluded – before apologising and taking it back.

In a strange conversation that began with a discussion of whether Mr Musk had cried or not, he argued with a Twitter user who suggested that he should have been more careful when he made the first accusation.

That post led Mr Musk to double down on his original claim, suggesting that Mr Unsworth is a paedophile or he would have sued him already.

"You don’t think it’s strange he hasn’t sued me?" Mr Musk wrote in the first of a series of tweets. "He was offered free legal services."

Now L. Lin Wood, an Atlanta attorney, confirmed to The Independent that he and a London lawyer are pursuing legal action against the Tesla boss. The legal team is in the process of finalising its complaint against Mr Musk and expects to file it in the coming days, he said.

Previously, Mr Musk had apologised for the accusation, suggesting that he had been upset by a comment that the diver had made.

"My words were spoken in anger after Mr Unsworth said several untruths & suggested I engage in a sexual act with the mini-sub, which had been built as an act of kindness & according to specifications from the dive team leader," he wrote then.

"Nonetheless, his actions against me do not justify my actions against him, and for that I apologise to Mr Unsworth and to the companies I represent as leader. The fault is mine and mine alone.

"I am truly sorry if I offended anyone."

The New York Times interview that prompted the discussion included a range of details about how the Tesla boss's intense working schedule was affecting his personal life and leading to his erratic Twitter presence.