Police on St Lucia are investigating the possible murder of a British man on the island.

The man, named in local media reports as Robert Hathaway, was found dead at his home on Sunday.

Police on the Caribbean island confirmed they were treating the 66-year-old's death as a homicide.

A spokesman for police said: "The body of a British national was found where he lived in Grand Riviere, Gros Islet.

"We are treating his death as a homicide."


"We will be getting in touch with his family in the UK. We don't yet know if he has any next of kin on St Lucia."

Keats Compton, president of the Marine Industries Association of Saint Lucia and a close friend of Mr Hathaway, said news of the death was "horrific".

"Apart from anything else, Bob was a pal of mine. He was on the executive committee of the (Marine Industries) Association and he was an integral part of it.

"I'm also concerned because the yachting fraternity is very close-knit, and the fact that this kind of thing can happen - if it's not reported properly it can do the industry quite a lot of damage."

Mr Hathaway, who is understood to have been divorced, founded the Marigot Sunshine marina catering for smaller yachts and superyachts.

He studied engineering at the University of Cambridge before a career in local government, according to the business's website.

At 37, he spent a sabbatical year cruising the Mediterranean before changing careers to become operations director of a yacht-building and repair company in Southampton.

He sailed to St Lucia in 2001 and bought land in Marigot Bay.

His Facebook page says he was originally from the village of Codford St Peter in Wiltshire.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Our staff are supporting the family of a British man following his death in St Lucia, and are in contact with the St Lucian police."