By Chad Klassen

Huatulco airport responds to claim by Kamloops man he was threatened

Dec 10, 2018 | 3:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — After retired Kamloops physician Dennis Karpiak told his story of a terrifying experience at the Huatulco International Airport, the story generated a series of comments online and to our newsroom.

CFJC Today removed the story from our website to investigate the issue further, and now the airport authority has released a statement, refuting what Karpiak is claiming.  

Karpiak claimed he was going through Mexican immigration last week when he and three other Canadians were taken to a private room and questioned before having to pay $100 to leave and board the plane. 

The airport statement says Karpiak had either lost or forgotten his visitor permit. He was then taken by an immigration agent to an office within the airport to complete the documentation required before he could leave the country. 

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The statement, which was released in Spanish and translated, goes on to say: “The passenger got very impatience and pulled money out of his pants so he can solve everything as soon as possible. The immigration agent decided to provide the passenger with a releasing order without any cost so the passenger did not lose his flight. The passenger was very angry but finally passed the documentation check point.”

The 75-year-old Karpiak says he still doesn’t understand why the situation unfolded the way it did. 

“I’m very pleased to see the Mexican government responded to some pretty serious allegations of incarcerating four Canadians without any justifiable reason. They still haven’t justified it,” says Karpiak. “What the Mexican government has failed to address is why these individuals were not dressed in uniform, had no identifying marks.”

Sonja Thomas from Travelwise Kamloops says if you’re travelling to Mexico in particular, you need to be on top of all your documentation. 

“Most important thing is to hang on to that tourist card. Even if that’s all they’re telling us, it’s very important,” says Thomas. “It’s an important piece of ID to have with you along with your passport. If you stick it in your passport, keep it in your hotel safe, that’s the easiest way. Then if you notice you don’t have it for some reason, you get a hold of the consulate right away.”