Regina couple recounts Mexican tragedy

Robb Rennebohm was enjoying some time soaking up the sun of the Mayan Riviera when suddenly the tranquility turned to tragedy.

“It was like chaos, war scene,” he explained. “Everybody was running around frantically trying to help as many people as they possibly could.”

In an instant, an explosion at the popular Playa Del Carmen Resort on Sunday morning claimed the lives of five Canadians. Rennebohm and his wife Jeanine were at the resort with 40 others for his brother’s wedding.

“You know there are families out there crying and hurting, and that’s hard,” Jeanine said.

Among the Canadians who died are a father and his son from Alberta and a man who was recently married.

“Just debris everywhere,” Rennebohm said. “Everything was flattened out. There was almost like a crater at the bottom of the restaurant like it was sunken down.”

His brother Tim is still in Mexico. He was married only a few days ago, and now he says it is beginning to feel like business as usual at the resort.

Mexican officials are attributing the explosion to a build up of swamp gas, but one Mexican Federal Agency is now questioning the theory.

Whatever the cause, local travel agents say it does not seem to be impacting whether or not people travel to Mexico. At CAA, the country is still a popular destination for Saskatchewan travelers.

“We haven’t had any calls at this point,” Doug Muskaluk from CAA said. “Travel is up and inquiries are still coming in.”

Muskaluk says experienced travelers are not worried.

“As long as they’re practicing common sense, generally they’re safe,” Muskaluk explained.

Safety is exactly what the Rennebohms want on vacation. They returned home to be with the rest of their family.

“I just wanted to get home and see my son because we didn’t bring him with us,” Jeanine said.

Now they recuperate as they surround themselves with their loved ones.