A grieving Manitoba family said they have been left in the dark after their mother was killed and their father hospitalized in a tragic bus crash in the Dominican Republic.
Amanda Fullerton’s parents, John and Colleen, left for a vacation in the Dominican Republic early Sunday morning.
By Sunday night, Amanda got word from her uncle, who was travelling with them, that they had been involved in a horrific crash in the coastal community of Cumayasa while en route from Punta Cana to their resort in Santo Domingo.
“All he knew was that my dad was covered in blood and my mother was unconscious, and he was doing it from his hospital bed,” Amanda told CTV News.
Local media in the Dominican Republic first reported two deaths and at least 19 people injured in the crash.
The Dominican Republic’s National Health Service said eight of the injured were men while five were women, all between the ages of 37 and 72.
On Sunday, Amanda was told her mother had died on impact and her father was in the hospital’s ICU in need of spinal surgery.
Brittany Fullerton, John and Colleen’s granddaughter, said they found out this information before the government, embassies, the airline or the tour group said anything.
“He’s fighting in a hospital bed. We’ve had no contact. We don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
Family frustrated with lack of communication
According to the Fullertons, their parents booked the trip through WestJet-owned Sunwing Vacations, with third-party bus transport operated by NexusTours.
Hearing little from either company, the family said they reached out to local police to confirm Colleen’s death, getting an official death notification on Monday from Selkirk RCMP.
“My dad’s gonna find out in the hospital all alone that my mom’s gone,” Amanda said through tears.
Days later, the family still has little information about John’s status, and their uncle hasn’t been able to see him.
“We just know he’s awaiting surgery, because I’ve been calling the consulate and the embassies damn near every hour, trying to recoup information,” explained Brittany, who plans to fly to the Dominican Republic in the coming days to be with her grandfather.
“We’ve had to dig and claw information out of them.”
In a statement to CTV News, a Sunwing Vacations spokesperson confirmed a bus transferring guests from Punta Cana International Airport to their hotels via their third-party provider NexusTours was involved in a traffic accident that resulted in casualties.
“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those affected during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said.
“We are in close contact with NexusTours as well as local authorities and are actively supporting impacted guests, as well as anyone who may require assistance. Travel to Punta Cana continues to operate as scheduled.”
Meanwhile, Global Affairs Canada told CTV News it is aware of the deaths of two Canadians in a tourist bus accident in the Dominican Republic.
“Canadian officials are providing consular assistance and are in contact with local authorities. Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed,” a spokesperson said in an email statement.
‘We deserved a phone call’
Colleen and John had just returned from a trip to Scotland and were looking forward to travelling more and spending time with family, the Fullertons told CTV News.
They described Colleen, who was 67, as a fearless adventurer who loved her family dearly.
“Her grandkids were her life,” Amanda said.
“She made holidays special. She was mom. She was grandma. She was very loved by her community.”
They say John, 70, works as a mechanic at his own shop and is very involved in his community.
His family worries for his recovery ahead and the life that awaits him when he returns home.
“It’s gonna be a big, big blow and a big loss for my grandpa and the community around us,” Brittany said.
The family said Sunwing and NexusTours have agreed to pay for all the associated medical, burial and travel costs.
In an email to CTV News, a Sunwing spokesperson confirmed it will cover all travels costs for families impacted by the crash including expenses to repatriate the bodies of those killed.
The Sunwing spokesperson added the Canadian Embassy has been assisting all parties in located and informing next of kin.
“Sunwing has a dedicated team to assist callers/family members that require support and we are working closely with Nexus who are working with embassy officials in the area.”
Still, the Fullertons are frustrated with the lack of information and communication from the companies through the horrific ordeal.
“We deserved a phone call from them,” Amanda said. ”My mom was important enough to let us know that we’ve lost her.”
“My grandma meant so much more than that, and so does my grandpa,” Brittany said.
RELATED STORIES:
- 2 Canadian Sunwing guests killed in bus crash in Dominican Republic
- Sunwing says ‘hearts are with families’ affected by bus crash in Dominican
- With files from CTV’s Danton Unger and Shaun Frenette
