British tourist shot dead on Caribbean holiday island
A 28-year-old British holidaymaker has been shot dead and his 21-year-old brother injured as they were preparing to fly home from the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed the death of 28 year-old Thomas Ossel from Bedfordshire.
A spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British National on Margarita Island in Venezuela on July 18. We are providing consular assistance for the family.”
Mr Ossel and his brother Jack are believed to have been attacked by armed robbers as they were leaving the Posada Casa Rosa hotel. Mr Ossel was shot in the head when the pair resisted.
The Foreign Office warns that street crime in Venezuela is high and that armed muggings and express kidnappings, where the victim is abducted to extort money from someone else, are frequent.
According to a report in the Guardian, the country has one of the highest murder rates in Latin America, 48 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
It said the Foreign Office had recently started alerting tourists to an increase in crime on Margarita Island, one of the most popular destinations for British visitors to Venezuela.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026