A Canadian tourist was discovered deceased last week in the waters of a Dominican Republic resort. A family member described the incident as a tragic accident.
Dorian Christian MacDonald was last seen strolling along the beach in Puerto Plata around 2 AM during a solo vacation to the Caribbean’s north coast on June 20th. As reported by CTV News, he was staying at a hotel in the resort area of Maimon Bay.
MacDonald ventured out for a walk shortly before police received a report about his disappearance, which came about an hour later.
His body was located underwater at high tide just after 4 AM, according to local authorities.
While the official cause of death hasn’t been disclosed, a family friend indicated that it was indeed an accident.
“Dorian died suddenly in an accidental drowning. He was only 38 years old. It feels strangely quiet now, knowing he’s no longer with us,” Tara McKenzie shared on a fundraising page.
She expressed the heart-wrenching task of repatriating his body to Nova Scotia, where his family awaits.
The fundraiser aims to gather funds to facilitate the return of MacDonald’s remains to Canada.
“Right now, we can’t properly grieve or say our goodbyes,” Mackenzie noted.
A close friend emphasized that the costs involved could range from $10,000 to $20,000, covering various expenses, including paperwork, international flights, and funeral arrangements.
Mackenzie reminisced about their friendship, sharing around 80 photos and messages chronicling their bond since 2016.
“I didn’t really want to write this, and honestly, I’m not quite sure what to say… It’s hard to accept that someone so vibrant can just vanish from our lives… You’ve always been a part of me,” she reflected in a Facebook post.
This incident adds to a string of unfortunate events surrounding tourists experiencing tragedies at Caribbean beaches. For instance, on March 6th, Suddiksha Konanki, a student from the University of Pittsburgh, went missing after a swim during a spring break trip to Punta Cana.
She was with Joshua Libe, a student from St. Cloud State University, who had been questioned by authorities following the incident.
The parents of the missing student, from Washington, D.C., have declared their daughter deceased and requested clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding Conanki’s disappearance.
As of now, her body has not yet been found.
