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Hady Quan, 30, missing for 6 days.
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SANTO DOMINGO.- The family and friends of Hady Quan, a 30-year old Canadian from Vancouver who was swept out to sea last Friday while attempting to rescue a swimmer in distress off the coast of Punta Cana (east), are offering a reward for his recovery, dead or alive.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-780-995-2828 or 1-604-805-1690, or email haniq@telus.net. They can also contact the Canadian embassy in Santo Domingo at 809-685-1136.

Quan and his girlfriend, Tiffany Weiland, were vacationing at the Excellence Resort in Punta Cana. Friends of Quan told Canadian media news outlets that the couple was swimming, heard a man screaming for help in the distance, and were caught in a riptide when they tried to reach him.

A search and rescue effort by Dominican authorities is still in progress.

Written by: Alexandra Pope
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COMMENTS
9 comment(s)
Written by: UnderCover, 3 Jan 2008 5:43 PM
From: United States
Are there any Life Guards at the Beach Resorts in DR? I cannot recall ever seen them at the Beaches, or maybe I'am wrong. Life Guards (with real swimming skills) should become mandatory by Law at all Resorts & Public Beaches, before people are allowed back into the waters.

Written by: afrodesyak, 3 Jan 2008 8:03 PM
From: United States
This is awful. I just heard about the Quan Families Loss. I too suffered a loss. I beleive the person that Mr. Quan was attempting to save was my friend. James McDonald. His body was retrieved and an attempt to revive him was unsuccessful.

The wake will be held on Friday from 2 – 4pm and 7 – 9pm at the Bergen Funeral Service located at 232 Kipp Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 Phone: 201-343-7900

The funeral will be held on Saturday at 11am at the Assumption Church located at 91 Maple Avenue, Morristown, NJ 07960 Phone: 973-539-2141
Written by: ashlin, 3 Jan 2008 10:36 PM
From: United States
My family and I were guests the day this event happened at Excellence Punta Cana. It was such an unfortunate event and we have been deeply effected by it. We witnessed both of these events and have both of the men's families in our thoughts and prayers. I hope that in the future the resort takes MUCH more precaution and will let its guests know the danger that the ocean holds. I red flag isn't enough to let people know how dangerouse those waters are. Once again, we are praying for the families of these two men. God Bless them!

I never grasped the meaning of the word "HERO" until I was touched by the situation this past week. We will always remember the selflessness of Hady and the men and women who put their lives on the line to help save someone else. For that...thank you!
Written by: elev121, 5 Jan 2008 12:02 PM
From: United States
SHAME ON THE DOMINICAN GOV'T; THE CANADIAN EMBASSY; AND THE EXCELLENCE RESORT. I WAS THERE AND SAW THE ANGUISH OF THE FAMILIES'. IF IT IS TRUE THAT THEY HAD TO FUND THE RESCUE EFFORT TOTALLY ON THEIR OWN THEN HOW CALLOUS HAVE WE BECOME? THE SEA WAS VERY ROUGH AND THE FLAGS WERE OUT; BUT, SURELY THEY ARE INTITLED TO SOME HELP FROM SOCIETY, IF NOT THEIR EMBASSY.
Written by: bbchick, 5 Jan 2008 1:47 PM
From: Canada
I feel terrible for what has happened to this family. My heart goes out to them. I am supposed to take my children their for a vacation in March, now I am having many second thoughts about this..We haven't taken a trip in many years and felt it was time, but now I am frightened something may happen to them.
I am terribly sorry for the family that lost their loved one and very disappointed with DR for not helping ASAP.........
Written by: elev121, 5 Jan 2008 2:07 PM
From: United States
PLEASE KNOW THAT A RIP TIDE CAN OCCUR ANYWHERE. THE POINT HERE IS THAT THE AUTHORITIES (ALL OF THEM) HANDLED THIS ISSUE AS MOST GOVERNMENTS WOULD (NOT A GOOD THING), AND IMMORALLY AT THAT. DOM. REP. SHOULD DROP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST! THERE ARE PLENTY OF CARIBBEAN ISLANDS WITH GREAT WEATHER WHERE A FAMILY CAN ENJOY A WONDERFUL VACATION.
Written by: Greggk, 5 Jan 2008 6:28 PM
From: Canada
I was at this resort the last week of November. A very nice American girl got into trouble with the rip tide. It is a very dangerous location. I've been to many resorts where buoys and ropes indicate a safe swimming area - quite a few have life guards, this in spite of the fact that the ocean was visibly calmer.
THERE IS NO LIFE GUARD, NO INDICATION OF UNSTABLE CONDITIONS AND NO SAFETY EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE
HOTEL STAFF AND OR ANIMATORS ON THE BEACH WERE UNWILLING OR UNTRAINED TO OFFER HELP.
THE HOTEL WENT SO FAR AS TO TRY TO CHARGE THE VICTIM FOR HER RESCUE (A GROUP OF HOTEL GUESTS WHO HELPED HER TO SAFETY).

Dear Excellence Hotel
HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE MUST DIE
Written by: bushelofapples4u, 6 Jan 2008 7:22 PM
From: United States
To view personal photos and videos of Hady Quan, please go to http://www.facebook.com/

Search: Please help find our friend Hady Quan

To afrodesyak,
Hady's friends and family members want to hear from you. They would like to learn more about your dear friend James McDonald. Please visit the website and you can find the email address listed there.


Written by: vanessa, 10 Jan 2008 10:59 PM
From: United Kingdom
I too was at the Excellence with my husband, 20 year old daughter and a friend. This hideous and gut wrenching nightmare happened on the first day of our vacation.

We are so desperatley sorry for the family and friends of the two men who drowned.

There is no such thing as a positive side to something so awful, but I do want to let you all know that my husband saved one man from drowning at this same time. He happened to be in the water close to the two men. My husband, Carl, went back out to rescue one of the men. He told him that he was there to rescue him and that he would 'knock him out' to bring him safely if he did not do exactly what Carl instructed. He explained, after he grabbed him and had his arms safely in his and his head above water, that they would need to swim sideways and perhaps ever further out to sea in order to move around the rip.
By the time Carl got this man back to shore,
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