Sunwing says ‘hearts are with families’ affected by bus crash in Dominican

Homes cover a hill in the La Zurza neighborhood of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Saturday, May 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)

Leigh Whiting says she booked a private van from Punta Cana International Airport to her hotel in the Dominican Republic instead of taking a bus shuttle that would have included extra stops at other resorts.

The next day, she learned that bus she nearly boarded had veered off the road in a crash Sunday evening that local authorities said killed two Canadian tourists and injured 13 others.

Reached Tuesday in Boca Chica, the 52-year-old woman from Georgetown, Ont., said she and her husband ‘’still can’t believe that was the bus we were supposed to be on.’’

She said she was thinking about the welfare of fellow plane passengers who might have been on the bus.

“There were kids. We’re hoping that the little kids weren’t on there,” said Whiting, who was on a weeklong Sunwing vacation.

“We would hope nobody was on there, of course.”

• READ MORE: 2 Canadian Sunwing guests killed in bus crash in Dominican Republic

Local authorities have said the bus slid across a road in the tourist area of La Romana, about an hour’s drive west of the popular resort area of Punta Cana and east of the capital, Santo Domingo. They said the 13 injured were between the ages of 37 and 72.

Sunwing offered its condolences, saying in a statement that the bus was operated by one of its third-party providers transferring guests from Punta Cana International Airport to hotels via NexusTours.

“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of those affected during this incredibly difficult time,” it said.

A statement from the embassy posted on social media Monday said staff were providing consular assistance, but did not say how many Canadians were on the bus or what their status was. The embassy said any Canadians needing assistance should contact the emergency watch and response centre.

Global Affairs Canada spokesperson Jérémie Bérubé said Tuesday no further details could be disclosed about the accident.

The Dominican Republic has one of the world’s highest traffic fatality rates, according to the World Health Organization.

Whiting said she booked the trip to celebrate her 33rd anniversary and was accompanied by her husband and another couple. She decided last-minute to book a private van, to “avoid stopping at the other resorts on the way.”

Whiting said the drive from the airport to her hotel was “a bit crazy and a bit nerve-racking.” She said she saw holes in guardrails alongside the road.

For the remainder of her weeklong stay, she said she expected to avoid excursions, explaining “any excursion will be at least an hour drive, and we just don’t want to be driving around.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 3, 2026.

—With files by The Associated Press