THE shooting of a former Swindon man after a late-night robbery in the Bahamas last week has sparked a manhunt.

Gary Vanhoeck, 44, whose son, 24-year-old Chris, lives in Swindon, was pronounced dead by local police on May 1 after armed robbers barged into his home at around 10pm.

Mr Vanhoeck is thought to have been relaxing on the yacht he lived on with wife Kathryn, 42, when he was accosted by two men, according to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The intruders are thought to have burst in armed with handguns and demanded cash before firing two shots towards Mr Vanhoeck and fleeing the scene.

Police have said they are searching for four men in connection with the incident, which took place at Stuart’s Cove in western New Providence. Mr Vanhoeck, formerly of Grimsby, has been living in the Bahamas for five years since packing up his life in the UK, and had been working as a diving instructor.

He had been the dock manager at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, a snorkel and diving operation. Before leaving for the Bahamas he had worked in Swindon as a computer technician.

His family, including brother, Wayne, are receiving support from the Foreign Office as the local police force launched an investigation into four men thought to have been involved in the incident.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in the Bahamas. We are providing the family with consular assistance at this very difficult time.”

A statement from Nassau Police said: “Police have launched an island-wide manhunt for the suspects responsible for a shooting incident that left a man dead on Friday, May 1.

“The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are searching for four men in connection with this incident.”