SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — An extensive search is underway for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old student from the University of Pittsburgh, who disappeared nearly a week ago during a spring break trip in Punta Cana, a popular tourist destination in the Dominican Republic. The FBI has now joined local authorities in their efforts to locate her.
The Dominican police have announced that they are going over statements from individuals who were in the company of Konanki prior to her disappearance in the early hours of March 6. The event occurred near the beach in front of the Riu República Hotel.
The hotel has issued a statement indicating that Konanki went missing during a power outage, which led many guests to head towards the beach.
President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic addressed the media, expressing regret over the situation. “We are concerned,” he said during his press briefing on Monday, reassuring that “all government agencies are actively involved in the search.” According to the latest account from the last person who was reportedly with her, Konanki may have been swept away by a wave while at the beach.
President Abinader also took the opportunity to emphasize the safety measures in place for tourists visiting the Dominican Republic, highlighting that more than 11 million tourists visit annually with very few incidents.
Juan Salas, Director of Civil Defense, dismissed rumors circulating in the media regarding the discovery of Konanki’s clothes, clarifying through a local newspaper that no such evidence was found. Attempts to reach Salas for further comments were unsuccessful.
Konanki is originally from India but holds permanent residency in the U.S., residing in Chantilly, Virginia. Upon hearing the distressing news, her parents, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi, traveled to Punta Cana and urged the authorities to broaden the investigation into their daughter’s disappearance.
According to her father, Konanki had traveled to the Dominican Republic on March 3, accompanied by five other female university students. The family, along with law enforcement agencies, remains hopeful for her safe return.
