'Shock, happiness, bewilderment': Guelph man to return home after being detained in the Dominican Republic since April

Twelve Canadians, who have been detained in the Dominican Republic since April, have been told they are going home.

“Just shock, happiness, bewilderment and just thrilled,” said Robert Di Venanzo, who was one of those arrested nearly seven months ago.

The Guelph man was one of the Pivot Airlines pilots meant to fly back to Toronto from Punta Cana. Instead, Di Venanzo and four crew members, as well as seven passengers, were arrested after they reported finding more than 200 kilograms of cocaine on their chartered plane.

“In a matter of about five hours feeling really good about what we had found and reported to: ‘Oh my goodness, what is going on?’” said Di Venanzo.

The crew spent nine days in jail while the passengers were in custody for 21 days.

Di Venanzo described that time as “hell.”

“It was dealing with constant threats to our lives, extortion,” he explained. “Staying with 26 criminals in a 12-by-12 cell, so that period of our detainment was just horrifying.” They were later released on bail after surrendering their passports.

Di Venanzo said they have essentially been under house arrest since then.

No charges were ever laid and the crew and passengers say they were never interviewed by authorities.

“The ordeal they’ve gone through is just horrific,” said Eric Edmonson, Pivot Airline’s CEO.

He added paperwork has been filed to free them and called it the most progress they have made yet.

“We now have a legalized document from the district attorney signed, also by the attorney general that has been filed and sealed by the court,” said Edmonson.

The paperwork still needs to be certified by a judge, which is considered a formality. It’s still unclear when the crew and passengers may return to Canada but it could be in a matter of weeks.

MORE: Canadian airline crew and passengers, detained in Dominican Republic since spring, now granted freedeom

Di Venanzo said he’s cautiously optimistic there’s a light at the end of this long tunnel.

“It’s been a pretty tough situation for all of us but looks like things are getting better for us shortly.”

Chris Burkett, who works as an international lawyer, called the entire ordeal unacceptable. He believes the Canadian government should have leverage to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“Our consular services need to step up and send a very significant message to the Dominican Republic,” said Burkett. “This is a flight crew that self reported and obviously there needs to be an investigation.”

Burkett also said this is a sad reminder of the perils of traveling to countries where justice systems are vastly different from what Canadians are used to.