Tragedy at Damajagua

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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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this is very sad and shocking. i thought that jackets and helmets made it safe but it seems the nature is stronger. just shows one cannot visit 27 charcos after the rain.
 
Conchman

Conchman

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Jul 3, 2002
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thats fu**ed up, just last night people were talking about going there and I told them about the kid that drowned, to be careful because of all the rains recently. What a co-incidence.

Was it a whirlpool type situation where the people were sucked to the bottom?
 
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El Tigre

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Jan 23, 2003
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Lambada said:
Damn, thought after the Canadian child that that would be the last..........:ermm:
Puerto Plata Digital
Click to expand...

SO DID I!!!!!!!!!!!

This is sooooooo sad. My condolences to their children and family. I don't want to point the finger but shouldn't the guide know about the strong current? It says in the report it had been raining earlier. I feel horrible when I read stuff like this.:paranoid:
 
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Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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The family had a guide with them, so this was NOT an unsupervised visit. The guide is named here:
MUEREN AHOGADOS EN CHARCO DE DAMAJAGUA TURISTAS NORTEAMERICANOS

They also appear to have had life jackets & helmets. Certainly the photo taken in the morgue shows a helmet. Caution: the picture is not horrendous but if you're a family member or close friend be advised this is a photo of the deceased.
Link removed out of respect to the family. - Gregg, Mod.

This happened Thursday afternoon and certainly Puerto Plata had really heavy rain for an hour or so on Thursday afternoon. It could be that they were already in the pool when the heavens opened.
 
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Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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In November 2007 on my guided trip there I felt the tour company took a risk.
I found out after we returned to our resort that 2 other tour companies had CANCELLED their trips to the falls that day due to safety concerns for their customers.
I guess our tour company was more concerned about the money.

Due to the 2 hurricanes that recently hit and the rains....the waters were extremely rough, and I was nervous and this is coming from someone who is into adventure sports (been white water rafting on the Zambizi River, bungee and skydiving to name a few).

Maybe it should not be the tour companies choice whether its safe or not to do the falls tour when it has been raining alot. They should have ALOT more life saving equipment at the site and trained staff
 
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Thandie

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Nov 27, 2007
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Lambada said:
The family had a guide with them, so this was NOT an unsupervised visit.
Click to expand...


BTW the liscenced tour guides just take you to the falls. They do not guide or supervise you while you are climbing the falls. Tour guides rarely even step foot into the falls. The water guys do... who from what I know dont have to have any specific training or certification.
 
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Cheetah

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Jan 15, 2005
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Hello everyone. My condolences to the family.

I am Adam's father, Adam died at this waterfall 4 years ago at age 11. A very strong swimmer. I do not have to explain my story. You have either heard about it or read about it at Remembering Adam Vitaterna.

I was pleased when the life jackets and safety helmets were put in place after his death, but somehow I felt his death would not be the last. I heard there were deaths before his and now there deaths after his.

The forces of mother nature and water can not be overcome with life jackets, helmuts or better guide traning. That tour should not be operated during rain events. It should be measured by the depth of water and flow in the first river crossing. Our's was waist high, almost swept us away. The guides joked that if you let go of the other person's hand you would be swept away to Cuba. Others have told me it weas ankle high.

I don't know what to say . I am in shock.
 
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Fiesta Mama

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Jan 28, 2004
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What horrible news and to think their poor children were left alone in the country to have to deal with everything. Are the 27 waterfalls the same as Damajagua falls?
 
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Cheetah

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Jan 15, 2005
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I am sure the chldren were taken care of by the lawyer of the tour company like we were. He quickly got to us and brought us to the police station for a police report. He did all the talking and in the end the police report said my son died by accidental drowning while swimming with his father at Damajagua river. The lawyer told me it was best he said that otherwise if I had blamed the tour company they would keep me overnight at the police station for questioning.

I hope these boys were treated better than we were.
 
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Lambada

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Thandie said:
BTW the liscenced tour guides just take you to the falls. They do not guide or supervise you while you are climbing the falls. Tour guides rarely even step foot into the falls. The water guys do... who from what I know dont have to have any specific training or certification.
Click to expand...

Rules of the falls: 'All visitors must be accompanied by a guide.
Obey all rules and warnings issued by the guide' etc Click on 'rules' here:
http://www.27charcos.com/index.php

The Puerto Plata Habla piece names the guide, I assume this was one of the 'water guys', does anyone know? If you click on testimonials there is one with the same first name FWIW.

Cheetah, empathies, this must drag it all back for you. The children of the deceased are aged 19 & 16 & the newspaper (in Spanish) says Cesar de los Santos (local Secretary of Tourism) took them back to the hotel. There is also a very caring North Coast US Consular agent, who might well have been involved in helping as well.
 
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Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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They are going to have to review procedures there. I haven't visited but what would need to be done to prevent something like this from happening again?

Is the Peace Corps still directly involved in training guides etc.?
 
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swellsurfcampcabarete

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Can't it be as simple as the falls being closed unless there have been 5 consecutively dry days? We have not let our visitors go unless this is the case. Having said that, I have no idea who would be able to monitor that successfully. It's a terrible tragedy and our sympathy is both with the boys and with Adam's father who must feel as though he is being dragged back in time.
 
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Bob K

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Aug 16, 2004
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I kmow for a fact the boys were very well taken care of (not by the tour lawyer) and currently are on thier way back to the US.

Bob K
 
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MRJone

Guest
This sure was a tragic incident. I send my condolences to the boys and hopefully we won't hear of such a similar occurrence again at Damajuana.
 
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dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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those pictures are pretty decent by dominican standards. i have seen more graphic images than that...
 
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