A University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on spring break in the Dominican Republic is believed to have drowned, officials confirmed on Sunday (March 9). Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old legal permanent resident of the United States and an Indian citizen, reportedly disappeared after going for a swim in Punta Cana in the early hours of March 6.
Sudiksha was one of six female students from the University of Pittsburgh who traveled to the Caribbean for vacation. According to reports from ABC News, she was last seen on surveillance footage around 4:15 a.m. at the Hotel Riu República's beach. A police report stated that she was caught by a strong wave while swimming with another person.
Details of the incident and search efforts
Investigators say Sudiksha went to the beach with a group of friends and others they met at the resort. At some point, most of the group returned to the hotel, but she remained on the beach with one young man. CNN revealed that surveillance footage showed the rest of the group leaving around 5:55 a.m., while the young man departed the beach alone at 9:55 a.m., with no sign of Sudiksha.
Search efforts began after her friends reported her missing around 4 p.m. that same day. Dominican authorities have been searching on land, by air and in the water, using helicopters and other rescue tools to locate her. Local police questioned the young man who was last seen with Sudiksha, as well as others who were with her that night, to verify accounts of what happened but haven’t yet revealed his version of events.
Her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, who traveled to Punta Cana to assist in the search, expressed concerns about other possible explanations beyond drowning. He urged those in charge to look into the possibility of foul play, kidnapping or human trafficking. “We don’t think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water, and I think something else might’ve happened to her,” he told CNN.
International and local authorities respond
CNN added that the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, the Indian Embassy and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia – where the Konanki family resides – are all involved in the case. The sheriff’s office has been in communication with federal law enforcement, the U.S. State Department, and Dominican authorities to assist with the investigation. The Indian Embassy has taken the lead in working with law enforcement on the ground.
The Dominican National Emergency System is also coordinating search efforts with the tourism police, the civil defense, the Dominican Navy, and other rescue organizations. ABC News reported that four teams of drones with advanced technology have been deployed to conduct a thorough search of the Bávaro coastal area. Meanwhile, the University of Pittsburgh urged anyone with relevant information to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The Riu hotel chain expressed condolences and confirmed that it was in full cooperation with authorities. “We want to express our sincerest empathy towards the family and friends during this very difficult time,” the company stated. “The safety and well-being of our guests are our highest priority, and we are committed to doing everything possible to assist in this situation.”