A Canadian tourist’s body was found washed up on a beach in the Dominican Republic hours after he was reported missing in mid-June, and his family is asking for financial support to fly his remains back to Canada.
Dorian Christian MacDonald, 38, was discovered at about 4:15 a.m. local time on June 20 after reportedly going for a solo walk on the beach at about 2 a.m. the same morning.
MacDonald was on vacation alone at a hotel in Puerto Plata on the north coast of the island when the fatal incident occurred.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, the government department charged with handling diplomatic affairs, told Global News it is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic.
“Consular officials are in contact with local authorities and are providing consular assistance to the family. Due to privacy considerations, no further information may be disclosed,” the statement said.
Tara Mackenzie, a friend of MacDonald’s, who started a GoFundMe page on behalf of the victim’s family to cover funeral costs and expenses associated with returning his body to his home in Nova Scotia, wrote that his death was a “drowning accident.”
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“Between flights, international paperwork, funeral coordination, preparation of his body, and all the red tape, we’re looking at a cost of $10,000–$20,000 just to get him back. And honestly? We just want him out of that cold system and back where he belongs—with us,” Mackenzie wrote on the fundraising page.
“The world feels a lot quieter and a whole lot less vibrant just knowing he’s no longer a part of it.”
Mackenzie described MacDonald as a deeply loving person.
“Dorian handed out hugs, compliments and I love you’s as freely as oxygen and always wanted and was willing to celebrate any and everything together—birthdays, holidays, babies, wins, losses, and whatever random Tuesday that seemed like it needed to be made a little bit more fun,” she wrote.
As of Monday, the GoFundMe has raised $38,000 toward its $40,000 goal.
In March, American student and tourist Sudiksha Konanki, who was also vacationing in the Dominican Republic, disappeared after spending some time in the ocean with another tourist, Joshua Riibe.
Dominican authorities believe he was the last known person to see Konanki before her March 6 disappearance and withheld his passport for 10 days while he was being questioned. Riibe was granted a request for freedom on March 19 after a judge ruled that he could co-operate with the investigation without being detained.
Riibe, a former lifeguard, says he tried to save Konanki’s life after they were hit by a barrage of waves while paddling waist-deep in the ocean together and dragged out to sea. He said he managed to drag her to shore but lost her when he began vomiting from swallowing sea water.
Authorities say they believe Konanki ultimately drowned.
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