A Bishop’s University student is dead following an accident while on vacation in the Dominican Republic.
According to Principal Michael Goldbloom, student Ben Houtman was involved in an accident while visiting the country on Saturday morning. Houtman was one of 30 students who had travelled to the Dominican for spring break.
Houtman reportedly fell from a fourth floor balcony and was killed instantly. Another student also fell and was taken to hospital with head and leg injuries.
The school’s dean of students has travelled to the Dominican to offer support to the other students, according to Goldbloom.
In a school statement, Goldbloom described Houtman as a student at Bishop’s Williams School of Business and a Vancouver native.
“Ben was a very thoughtful and positive person with a wide circle of friends,” said Goldbloom. “He loved bringing people together and ensuring that no one felt excluded.”
