Bahamas, New Providence: Liveaboard British Man shot dead on board by armed robbers – May 2015

Published 9 years ago, updated 5 years ago

Gary Vanhoeck, 51, from the UK, was murdered on his sailboat at Stuart Cove’s diving centre in western New Providence on the night of Friday 1st May 2015.

Mr Vanhoeck was a dive instructor and employee at the diving centre and originally from Grimsby, U.K. He had been resident in the Bahamas for a number of years. He lived aboard the boat with his wife at the dive centre’s base.

Further details from the security camera footage showing two men walking down the dock and tying up the marina security guard and two more masked men boarding the yacht. While Mrs Vanhoeck was down below asleep, they took the owner, Gary Vanhoeck, off the boat and demanded money. It is believed there was a struggle and he was shot twice in the head and died.

Kathryn Vanhoeck, on hearing gunshots, rushed up to the deck and was confronted by one of the armed robbers. She was able to escape and ran to a friend’s house to call for help, unaware that her husband had been shot. It was only when she returned to the scene with a neighbour that the police told her the tragic news that Mr Vanhoeck was dead.

Police are actively investigating this incident but at the current time have no leads that could identify the culprits, for whom an island-wide manhunt has been launched. This is the country’s 48th homicide this year.

Compiled from reports in The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail.

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