Carl Davies killing: Ten held on Reunion island 6 February 2013 Last updated at 17:28 Police have arrested 10 people in connection with the death of a Kent teacher on an island in the Indian Ocean in 2011. The family of former Royal Marine Carl Davies say they are relieved that there seems to be some progress after more than a year of apparent inaction. The suspects, aged 16 to 30, were detained on French-governed Reunion. Police initially said Mr Davies's death was an accident, but tests later suggested he had been beaten to death. Reunion journalist Stephanie Marqui told the BBC: "Some were arrested yesterday, some earlier this morning. The day I stop rocking the boat is the day I fail my son and my family End Quote Andrew Davies Father of Carl Davies Family petition They were linked to a number of thefts with violence in front of a nightclub which is less than a kilometre from where Mr Davies's body was found. Kent Police confirmed it had been informed of the arrests but said it was not directly involved in the case. Mr Davies, 33, from Harrietsham, was found at the bottom of a ravine in November 2011. After nearly a year of no obvious progress in the investigation, Mr Davies's family launched a petition demanding information about the investigation. His father, Andrew Davies, said the family wanted UK politicians to put pressure on the Reunion authorities. He told the BBC: "We will never disappear because the day I stop rocking the boat is the day I fail my son and my family and I will never do that." He said the family welcomed the latest development.