The family of a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing during spring break in the Dominican Republic has asked the national police to declare her deceased. Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student, vanished while staying at a hotel in early March. The Dominican Republic’s police authorities have confirmed receiving the family’s request but have not provided further details. Search efforts have been ongoing for the past two weeks, with authorities considering various possibilities including drowning and foul play.
Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old US college student, is believed to be the last person to have seen Konanki alive. He has not been implicated in any wrongdoing, and the national police have stated there is no suspect in the case. Konanki, a biology and chemistry student at the University of Pittsburgh, was on a spring break trip with friends in Punta Cana. She is an Indian citizen and US permanent resident living with her family in Chantilly, Virginia.
Konanki was last sighted by Riibe at around 04:00 local time on March 6th near a beach in Punta Cana. Surveillance footage shows her walking with friends towards the beach, accompanied by Riibe and others. According to Dominican police, a large wave pulled Konanki and Riibe into the sea during the early hours of the morning, and she seemingly disappeared after initially getting out of the water.
Riibe, who attended St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, was detained by Dominican authorities for over a week but was released following a court ruling. He has since left the country after being issued a new passport. Riibe, who stated that he was eager to return home to his family, maintained that he was simply a witness and had not been accused of any crime.
The Konanki family has urged for transparency and justice in the investigation, expressing hope for a resolution as soon as possible. The national police have acknowledged the family’s request to declare Sudiksha Konanki deceased and continue to devote significant resources to the search efforts.
Authorities are currently searching for a missing student, with police organizing search areas and deploying drones to specific sectors. Pilots are monitoring uploaded footage to a central command center, where artificial intelligence is assisting in identifying objects in the ocean. Search crews are scouring both water and land for any clues. It remains uncertain if foul play was involved in Ms. Konanki’s disappearance, as no blood or signs of violence were discovered at the beach. The University of Pittsburgh, where she is enrolled, has issued a statement indicating collaboration with various agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Homeland Security, and local authorities to address her disappearance. Interpol has issued a global alert, specifically a yellow notice, regarding Ms. Konanki’s case, as she is considered a missing person under suspicious circumstances.
