Gunmen Rob Britons On Caribbean Cruise

St Lucia police have arrested three men following the robbery at gunpoint of 60 Carribean cruise ship passengers - including ten Britons.

Authorities believe four men were involved in the robbery at Soufriere Botanical Gardens, during which a tour bus was held up and valuables taken from passengers, a police statement said.

"The men systematically searched the guests as well as their belongings. The masked men robbed them of monies, jewellery, cameras and cell phones and escaped in the nearby bushes. Apart from the trauma of the incident, none of the passengers robbed were injured," it said.

Two crew members from Celebrity Cruises' Eclipse vessel were also on the bus along with guests.

One passenger broke down in tears after the ordeal, while others were "shaken", according to local broadcaster DBS TV.

Tourism Minister Lorne Theophilus said it was "unfortunate and a horrible scenario".

Matthew Beaubrun, Chairman of the St Lucia Tourist Board, told DBS: "This is a rare incident. This is such an important industry for us that we need to respond.

"We have taken it very seriously at the highest level and I know the minister's been in touch with the prime minister, so we are not taking this thing lightly."

A statement from Celebrity Cruises said: "We are thankful that none of our guests were injured in this unfortunate event, and will continue to provide them any support they may need.

"A vacation is supposed to be filled with fun, rejuvenation and relaxation. An act of crime should not be part of any vacation, and we regret our guests had to experience those events."

The Eclipse is currently on a 14-night Caribbean cruise that departed Fort Lauderdale in Florida on April 6 and ends there on April 20.