Fort Lauderdale Florida shark kills tourist

Tourist killed by sharks in Florida

Vienna lawyer Markus Groh, 49, had a fatal shark encounter about 50 miles off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

He was part of a group of Austrian tourists taking part in a tour conducted by Scuba Adventures, a Riviera Beach Florida business which advertises "unique shark trips" and "face to face" encounters with sharks off the Florida coast. To ensure shark encounters, sharks are lured to the site with fish and fish parts. The Scuba Adventures website promises that its hammerhead and tiger shark expeditions in the Bahamas are "These unique shark trips are being run exclusively for shark enthusiasts and photographers. The site also says "Even in a “baiting” situation they tend to be very cautious.

Groh was in the open water without a cage or similar protection when the shark adventure turned fatal and he was biten on the leg and mauled by one of the lured sharks. He later died after being air-lifted to a Fort Lauderdale hospital.

Dominican Republic Wedding Scam

Couples who thought getting married at a tropical resort in Dominican Republic was the dream wedding setting may be in for a rude and illegal awakening. That romantic wedding ceremony on the beach in Dominican Republic may have been picture perfect - but not legal.

Investigators in Dominican's National Department of Investigations have uncovered what they are calling a wedding scam involving more than 200 British and Canadian couples who paid hundreds of dollars for Dominican marriages that were never officially registered. Four employees, uncertified officials of the Central Electoral Board that oversees civil marriages, have been detained, and are suspected of colluding with local Dominican Republic hotels to swindle foreign couples with Caribbean wedding packages where fraudulent wedding ceremonies took place.

The Dominican Republic is a popular destination for couples combining a wedding and honeymoon. The Dominican Republic's tourism website states that wedding registration fees are $455. but fees can run much higher if a resort plans the ceremony which is the case for most foreign brides and groom intent on a romantic Caribbean wedding and honeymoon.

The wedding ceremonies in question took place from July 2007 to February 2008 in the eastern Dominican Republic.

If you or someone you know was married at a hotel resort in the Dominican Republic during that time, it would be prudent to verify whether or not the marriage papers are legitimate or part of this wedding scam.

Westjet airline flight sale

Canadians who travel would be wise to subscribe to Canadian airline Westjet's e-newsletter. The email from Westjet airlines that I received on February 28, 2008 offered a one-day 80% off sale on major route flights - the only catch was that the sale was just for that one day and flight had to be booked on that day. (Travel was valid from March 1 to June 25, 2008).

Example super sale air fares were Toronto to Montreal or Ottawa, regularly $79. for only $12. Or flights from Toronto to either Charlottetown, Halifax, Moncton, Saint John, or Saskatoon, regularly from $196-341. was on sale for only $39.

So if traveling on any of Westjet flight routes could be in your upcoming travel plans, you should hurry on over to www.westjet.com and subscribe.