The family of a British man who was murdered defending his wife from attackers who boarded their boat in St Lucia have said it was a "tragic, shattering end" to their dream holiday.
Roger Pratt, 62, and his wife Margaret, 60, were sailing around the world and had docked in a harbour at the Caribbean island when they were attacked.
Mr Pratt died during the attack while trying to protect his wife.
The couple had been due to begin the next stage of their journey on the day before the attack occurred, but were delayed by a bureaucratic hold-up.
Mrs Pratt's sister, Jenny Riley, a teacher from Beccles, Suffolk, told the Daily Mail the family had been left "totally shocked and shattered" by the death.
She said Mr Pratt had been preparing for the voyage for many years, and as an engineer had carefully planned the trip.
"They had gained deep sea sailing experience by cruising extensively on the south coast and around Europe," Mrs Riley told the newspaper.
"To sail across the Atlantic and explore the Caribbean was Roger's dream.
"They were both experienced sailors and had sailed dinghies and keel boats since they were children. It is a tragic, shattering end to their dream."
The couple plotted their route from the UK to St Lucia on their blog Mrs Riley said her sister was discharged from hospital last night and had returned to the couple's yacht.
Mrs Pratt had retired from her job as a management consultant to go on the around-the-world holiday.
She had also celebrated her 60th birthday just days before the incident.
A St Lucian police spokesman confirmed Mr Pratt died trying to defend his wife from attackers, but said there was no evidence the man was shot.
He said: "Nobody has been arrested yet, but there are some guys in custody. The investigators are very busy looking at what happened."
Police are understood to be questioning three people over Mr Pratt's death.
The couple lived in the village of Moreton Morrell in Warwickshire before embarking on their adventure.
Neighbours told Sky News the pair had lived there for about 25 years and were "thoroughly decent".
"They appeared to be very content, a normal couple," one said.
Writing on her blog in the hours before the attack, Mrs Pratt told how bureaucracy thwarted their attempts to leave that part of the Caribbean.
She said: "On Thursday morning the plan was to clear out from Soufriere, then to travel south and use up the 72 hours before we had to be away.
"But bureaucracy intervened. HM Customs and Excise in Soufriere told us that exit had to happen within 24 hours of clearing out; and that anyway, we couldn't clear out of Soufriere that day because the Immigration Officer hadn't come to work(!!)
"So here we are in Vieux Fort, the most southerly port of clearance in St Lucia. It's very different. There's a port; an airport and no tourists - and so it's a regular town."
:: Watch the latest updates live on Sky News on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.
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