British dad shot dead in Argentina named as businessman Matthew Gibbard
14 December 2019, 19:27
A British tourist shot dead during an armed robbery in Argentina has been named as millionaire businessman Matthew Gibbard.
The 50-year-old, from Northamptonshire, was shot in the chest and killed while his stepson Stefan Zone, 28, was shot in the thigh and recovering in hospital.
The two men were taken to hospital after the attack, which took place outside the five-star Faena Art Hotel in the Puerto Madero area of Buenos Aires.
The men were caught in a struggle as they were targeted by motorcycle robbers at 10am (local time) on Saturday morning.
Police have launched an investigation to find the attackers.
Naval officials confirmed that armed men on a motorcycle, believed to be supported by accomplices in a car, tried to steal the belongings of the tourists.
CCTV footage shows the two men getting out of a white van outside of the exclusive waterfront district popular with tourists.
They were then approached by two men on a motorbike, apparently accompanied by another vehicle.
It then shows the two British nationals resisting to attempt to steal their baggage and a fight continues for 40 seconds.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson told LBC News: “We are supporting the family of two British men following an incident in Buenos Aires, and are in contact with the local authorities there.”
More than 111,000 British nationals visited Argentina in 2018, according to the Foreign Office, which said most visits are "trouble-free".
However, tourists are warned to stay vigilant for street crime, including armed robberies, and are advised to hand over belongings to robbers without resistance.
