Latest news with #MacDonald
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Canadian tourist Dorian Christian MacDonald, 38, found dead after ‘drowning accident' on Dominican Republic beach
A Canadian tourist was found dead in the water at a Dominican Republic resort in what loved ones described as a drowning accident last week. Dorian Christian MacDonald was last seen walking along the beaches of Puerto Plata just after 2 a.m. during his solo trip to the northern coast of the Caribbean Island on June 20, according to CTV News. MacDonald was staying at a hotel in the resort town of Maimon Bay when he went for the overnight stroll — an hour before police received calls reporting him missing. 5 Dorian MacDonald was found dead in the waters of the Dominican Republic on June 20, 2025. Tara McKenzie/Facebook The 38-year-old's body was discovered in the water during high tide just after 4 a.m., the outlet reported, citing local officials. An official cause of death wasn't announced, but a family friend reported that MacDonald had drowned. 'Dorian died suddenly in a drowning accident. He was only 38 years old. And now, the world feels a lot quieter and a whole lot less vibrant just knowing he's no longer a part of it,' Tara McKenzie wrote on a GoFundMe. '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. As much as we know how much he loved DR, we need him home,' McKenzie added. The fundraiser is intended to raise money to bring MacDonald's body back to Canada. 'We don't get to even begin saying goodbye properly or grieve as we should until then,' McKenzie said. 5 MacDonald was staying at a hotel in the resort town of Maimon Bay when he went for the overnight stroll — an hour before police received calls reporting him missing. Tara McKenzie/Facebook 5 The beach of Maimon Bay in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Universal Images Group via Getty The grieving friend said it would cost $10,000 to $20,000 to get MacDonald out of the 'cold system' of red tape, paperwork, international flights, body preparation and funeral arrangements. McKenzie paid tribute to her 'brother from another,' sharing 80 photos and text messages of the two dating back to 2016. 'I didn't want to ever have to write this.. So I don't know what exactly to say yet…I'm definitely still massively in denial that a presence as infectious as yours could actually be truly gone from this world…You were a part of my life, past, present and I prayed future…' she wrote in a Facebook post. MacDonald's death is the latest involving tourists to strike the Caribbean nation's beaches. University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki disappeared while swimming during her spring break trip to Punta Cana in the early hours of March 6. The 20-year-old was with Joshua Riibe, a St. Cloud State University student, at the time. The couple had met at the beginning of the trip. Riibe, 22, was detained by authorities and questioned in Konanki's disappearance. 5 Tara McKenzie and Dorian MacDonald pose in an undated picture. Tara McKenzie/Facebook 5 McKenzie paid tribute to her 'brother from another,' sharing 80 photos and text messages of the two dating back to 2016. Tara McKenzie/Facebook The parents of the missing Washington DC native asked officials to declare their daughter dead and clear Riibe of any wrongdoing in Konanki's death, which a judge obliged with on March 30. Konanki's body has not been recovered.
Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Who was Dorian Christian MacDonald? Canadian tourist found mysteriously dead in Dominican Republic
Last week, a 38-year-old Canadian tourist mysteriously died in a resort town, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, CTV reported. A GoFundMe campaign has raised over $33,000 to help repatriate Dorian MacDonald's body to Nova Scotia.(GoFundMe) Dorian Christian MacDonald, originally from Nova Scotia, had been staying alone at a hotel in the popular resort town of Puerto Plata when he reportedly went for a quiet, late-night walk along the beach around 2 AM on 20 June. Just an hour later, a missing person report was filed. Authorities, including the police and the Civil Defense agency, launched a search. However, they found his body in the water at high tide shortly after 4 a.m. Officials have ruled the cause of death as an accidental drowning. ASLO READ| Canadian tourist mysteriously found dead in Dominican Republic in Sudiksha Konanki-like drowning 'On June 20th, while vacationing in the DR, Dorian died suddenly in a drowning accident,' his close friend Tara McKenzie wrote on a GoFundMe page launched to help with expenses. 'He was only 38 years old.' '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 added. 'He was that person, his presence felt like it would just always be there. And now, somehow, just like that, he's gone.' Second mysterious drowning in Dominican Republic raises alarms after Sudiksha Konanki case The fundraiser, which has already gathered more than $33,000 of its $40,000 goal, is helping support the costly process of repatriating MacDonald's body to Nova Scotia. 'We don't even get to even begin saying goodbye properly or grieve as we should until then,' McKenzie wrote. 'The process of repatriating someone from another country is a slow, expensive and deeply complicated situation that I wish on no one.' '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,' she continued. 'And honestly? We just want him out of that cold system and back where he belongs – with us.' 'The department is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic,' a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told CTV News, adding, 'due to privacy considerations, no further information may be disclosed.' ALSO READ| Does viral video show Sudiksha Konanki drowning in Dominican Republic ocean? Here's the truth MacDonald's death comes just three months after 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki's case, a University of Pittsburgh student, who vanished from a beach near her resort in Punta Cana. Her body was never recovered. Her family has since accepted the ruling of accidental drowning, but investigators and U.S. authorities have raised doubts about the official narrative.
Daily Mirror
11 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Tourist dies in mysterious Dominican Republic drowning after beach walk
While the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's most popular tourist destinations, several tourists have been found dead under suspicious circumstances in recent months A tourist has been found dead on a beach in the Dominican Republic last week. Dorian Christian MacDonald was tragically discovered dead in the waters off a beach in Maimon Bay last week while holidaying in the Dominican Republic's popular Puerto Plata resort town, according to CTV News. The 38-year-old as staying at a hotel in Puerto Plata on the island's north coast but was last seen alive shortly before 2am on Friday, June 20. In the early hours of the morning MacDonald, of Nova Scotia, Canada, reportedly took a short late-night walk alone on a beach. Tragically, that would be the last time he was seen alive, as just an hour later, a harrowing 911 call was placed reporting a missing person. Both police personnel and Civil Defense - a government agency that supports local law enforcement with naval operations - arrived at the scene, where they discovered MacDonald's body in the water during high tide just after 4am. According to a GoFundMe page set up by his loved ones the Canadian tourist tragically died from a sudden and unexpected drowning. A message on the page read: "On June 20th, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, Dorian died suddenly in a drowning accident. He was only 38 years old. And now, the world feels a lot quieter and a whole lot less vibrant just knowing he's no longer a part of it." In a heartbreaking tribute to Dorian a message on the page read: "He wasn't just a friend. He was my brother in every way but blood—and maybe more so than some who share it. And I know I'm FAR from the only person who feels that way about him. "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. "He was that person, his presence felt like it would just always be there. And now, somehow, just like that, he's gone..." A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada (GAC) told CTV News that the department 'is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic,' but 'due to privacy considerations, no further information may be disclosed.' Now, MacDonald's family and close friends - are tirelessly working to bring his body back home to Nova Scotia, with the fundraiser launched to support the difficult process. The page says: "The process of repatriating someone from another country is a slow, expensive and deeply complicated situation that I wish on no one. 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." While the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's most popular tourist destinations, several tourists have been found dead under suspicious circumstances - including unexplained drownings and mysterious disappearances from guarded beaches.
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Canadian tourist mysteriously found dead in Dominican Republic in Sudiksha Konanki-like drowning
Dorian MacDonald, a 38-year-old Canadian tourist, was found dead in the Dominican Republic's popular Puerto Plata resort town, CTV reported. The Nova Scotia resident's death, under mysterious circumstances, comes about three months after University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki's disappearance and presumed drowning in Punta Cana. Dorian MacDonald was found dead in Dominican Republic months after Sudiksha Konanki's presumed drowning (Facebook) According to the CTV report, MacDonald, staying alone at a Puerto Plata hotel, took a late-night walk around 2 AM on June 20, near the beach. An hour later, at approximately 3 AM, a 911 call reported him missing. His body was later discovered, with Dominican authorities classifying the death as a drowning, though specific details remain undisclosed. Read More: 'This is the reality of Canada': Indian woman shares video of massive job fair queues for just 5 positions Police found his body in the water during high tide at 4:15 AM local time. Global Affairs Canada (GAC) spokesperson told CTV News that the department is 'aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in the Dominican Republic', but did not reveal details due to 'privacy considerations'. The 38-year-old's family is yet to issue a statement. GoFundMe set up Tara McKenzie, a close friend, described MacDonald as a 'brother' on a GoFundMe page, raising over $33,000 toward a $40,000 goal for funeral expenses. She highlighted his vibrant personality, noting his 'infectious laugh' and generous spirit. '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. As much as we know how much he loved D.R (IYKYK) we need him home,' the GoFundMe description reads. Read More: North Korea opens new 'sight spot' in bid to boost tourism | What we know Sudiksha Konanki's case Like MacDonald, Konanki vanished during a pre-dawn beach visit at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana on March 6. She was last seen on CCTV at 4:15 AM with Joshua Riibe, who reported being swept by a wave while swimming. Konanki's case saw extensive searches, yet her body wasn't found, prompting her parents to request a death declaration.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
Claudia MacDonald thankful to be back with Red Roses
It was in February 2024 that the Exeter Chiefs winger suffered a neck injury that left her unable to move her arms and legs. That was the second serious neck injury of her career and left her contemplating her rugby future but fast-forward 12 months and she was back on the pitch and part of the England squad that claimed the Grand Slam. Not only that, despite huge competition in the back three, MacDonald performed well enough to earn a starting role in the Grand Slam decider at Allianz Stadium against France. It is a comeback that has involved a huge amount of work, both physically, but also psychologically. She explained: 'Any injury derails you, I've had a few of those in the past that have certainly made me question what would be possible from a rugby point of view in the future. You then live the process of coming back and it all becomes a lot more natural. 'The next thing you would want is to be here in pre-season and pushing yourself. Sometimes it's really important to take a step back and give yourself some perspective and look at the journey as a whole. 'Just being here and making it back to an England environment, being involved in that Six Nations that we just played, that was huge. I certainly didn't think that was going to be the case a year ago. 'I worked quite a bit with the psychologist who spoke to me a lot about the fact we talk about 'return to play'. 'The injury might be 12 weeks and at the end of the 12 weeks, you expect to play a game. She gave me another one which was 'return to performance'. 'In my head, I think before that conversation, it was that you get out on the pitch at the end of the injury whereas obviously especially with the injury I had and it's the case with a lot of longer-term injuries, getting out on the pitch is the big first tick but there are so many more ticks after that. 'So I tried to stay focused on small targets along the way. I wanted to get out there, then I wanted to make a tackle, run with the ball. I gave myself another period of time until I had this return to performance and pride in how I was playing. That was really big for me because it meant I was able to give myself some leniency.' After impressing for England as they continued a winning streak that dates all the way back to the last World Cup final, MacDonald is back training with the Red Roses as they gear up to host the tournament. They enter as favourites after a dominant stretch, although the Grand Slam decider against France ended up being a one-point game – only the second time that a team has finished within a score against England since 2022 – Les Bleues also did so two years ago. Three years ago, MacDonald travelled to the World Cup with an England team that was also favoured to win the tournament, eventually losing 34-31 to hosts New Zealand in the final. During that campaign, she was initially selected as a scrum-half, before shifting to wing by the time the action started. In fact, her only appearance at scrum-half came in the final after Leanne Infante was a late withdrawal, with MacDonald acting as cover for starter Lucy Packer. She said: 'The last World Cup, I trained as a scrum-half and thought I was going out to the World Cup as a scrum-half. But in training, we had four nines consistently and only had three wingers so one of us was always training on the wing. 'I probably enjoyed it far more than the other scrum-halves enjoyed it. I was a winger before I was a scrum-half, I've flip-flopped between the two. It was a big part of what I did, the ability to play both. When I had opportunities to train on the wing, I threw myself at it. 'Since that World Cup, I've been solidly a winger, I'm guessing if something happened and we needed someone at scrum-half, I'd like to hope they would put me in.' Fit again, and with that versatility to her name, MacDonald is ready to play a starring role for the Red Roses this summer. Purchase your tickets to the Autumn Nations Series at Allianz Stadium
