Tejal Somvanshi
A Canadian tourist was found dead in the waters of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic last week in what officials have ruled as an accidental drowning.
Dorian Christian Macdonald, 38, from Nova Scotia, was discovered in the ocean during high tide around 4:15 a.m. on Friday, June 20. He had been staying alone at a hotel in the resort town of Maimon Bay.
According to local authorities, Macdonald went for a late-night walk along the beach around 2 a.m. Approximately an hour later, emergency services received a 911 call reporting a missing person. Civil defense and police personnel searched the area and found his body in the water.
“Dorian died suddenly in a drowning accident,” wrote Tara McKenzie, a close friend who organized a GoFundMe campaign to bring his body back to Canada. The fundraiser has already raised tens of thousands of dollars toward the estimated $10,000 to $20,000 needed for repatriation.
McKenzie described Macdonald as someone with an “infectious laugh” who was generous with his affection. “He wasn’t just a friend. He was my brother in every way but blood—and maybe more so than some who share it,” she wrote on the fundraising page.
The process of returning a deceased person to their home country involves significant bureaucratic hurdles, including international paperwork, flights, funeral coordination, and preparation of the body.
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“The painful reality is now facing the unthinkable task of trying to bring him back to Nova Scotia in a timely manner—to his Mom, his sisters, his family, his people,” McKenzie explained. “We don’t get to even begin saying goodbye properly or grieve as we should until then.”
Global Affairs Canada has confirmed they are aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic. A spokesperson stated they are in contact with local officials and providing consular assistance to the family, though specific details cannot be disclosed due to privacy considerations.
Macdonald’s death comes just three months after another tourist-related incident in the Dominican Republic. In March, 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki disappeared while swimming during her spring break trip to Punta Cana. Her body was never recovered, though a judge declared her dead on March 30.
The Dominican Republic remains a popular destination for Canadian tourists, with its beaches and resorts attracting thousands of visitors each year.
McKenzie’s tribute to her friend captured the profound loss felt by those who knew him. “We will carry your name, your stories, the memories, your ridiculous jokes and infectious laugh and incredible heart with us always,” she wrote.
Experts recommend that travelers to any international destination should familiarize themselves with local safety conditions, maintain awareness of their surroundings, and ensure their travel insurance covers emergency medical care and repatriation.
