Ont. man's family desperate for closure as body remains in Punta Cana after fatal fishing excursion

James Dewitt's family is still awaiting his body's return, more than a week after he died when the deep-sea fishing boat he was on in the Dominican Republic capsized.

His loved ones want answers and the chance to see him one last time to pay their final respects.

"He was the love of my life and an amazing father," said Dewitt's common-law partner, Jessica Ladouceur.

Dewitt was on vacation with his cousin and some friends when the boat overturned, sending him into the water in Punta Cana.

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Local media reported that dangerous conditions had prompted warnings to all boaters to stay off the waters.

Despite this, the chartered boat company reportedly took them out without warning of the danger.

"None of them should have been in that water," said Dewitt's sister, Pam Venne. "None of them. Not even the people that were supposed to be chartering that boat. They shouldn't have been out there."

Dewitt's body was later recovered from the water.

"I need him back home," his sister said. "We all need him back home. The kids do, Jess does. We need closure."

• RELATED: Ont. man's family seeks answers after fatal boating incident in Dominican Republic

Venne said two Dominican crew members were also on board the vessel and have appeared in court.

The boat's captain has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but the family said the owner had not been criminally charged.

"The people who are involved in the whole case, I want them to be actually tried, and justice brought because what happened is just - we can't, we can't bring him back, so can we so can we get justice and closure for that?" Venne said.

Dewitt was a 40-year-old well-known businessman in Waubaushene, co-owning Dewennes Restaurant with his sister and her husband and operating Dewitt's Contracting.

He leaves behind four children.

"He was the best dad any girl could ask for," said his daughter, Emily Dewitt. "He always went out of his way to do anything for anybody."

Emily saved the last message she got from her dad before he left for Punta Cana. "He told me to hold down the fort and that he loved me."

The family is seeking help from Global Affairs Canada to bring his body home so they can properly mourn and say their final goodbyes.