Cruise Tourists Robbed at Gunpoint in St. Lucia: 'A Horrible Scenario,' Says Official
Cruise tourists were robbed while aboard a bus on St. Lucia, the Caribbean island's officials said. The 50 cruise ship passengers had stopped for a while on the tropical island Friday when gunmen forced them to hand over their valuables.
The cruise tourists were robbed while sightseeing in Soufriere, St. Lucia by gunpoint. Although Celebrity Cruises, who ran the tour, declined to comment, it was revealed that none of the passengers were hurt in the incident. Celebrity Cruises is a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., who also did not comment on the situation.
Other reports revealed by 10 British tourists with the tour group revealed that the four robbers were after the guides' and passengers' money, jewelry, cell phones, cameras, and other valuable items. However, the number of people exposed to danger because of visiting St. Lucia is relatively small, others point out.
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Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilius told DBS TV that the robbery was an "unfortunate and a horrible scenario," and St. Lucia Tourist Board Chairman Matthew Beaubrun called it a "rare incident." Nearly 350,000 tourists come to the island each year and leave unharmed, he said- that number includes actor Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso, who renewed their vows there Saturday.
With the recent negative press surrounding cruise lines- Costa Concordia's stranding last year was particularly bad for the cruise industry- Theophilius expressed his concern that more attacks or robberies could destroy the island's tourism industry altogether. Indeed, some aboard the Cruise Critic website suggested that Celebrity Cruises stop visiting the island, according to The Inquisitr.
St. Lucia police said Monday that they have arrested three men believed to be involved in the robbery, though their names have not yet been revealed.
