College student Sudiksha Konanki, 20, remains missing after she vanished in the Dominican Republic during Spring Break, with US authorities keeping her case despite reports suggesting she drowned
18:24, 10 Mar 2025
Konanki and her friends were seen walking on the beach in the early hours of the morning.
Konanki and her friends were seen walking on the beach in the early hours of the morning.(Image: Handout)
Officials are at odds over what happened to the university student on Spring Break in the Dominican Republic, who has vanished.
The 20-year-old pre-med student Sudiksha Konanki was on holiday with her fellow Pittsburgh students when she disappeared. Konanki was last seen on the beach on Thursday morning (March 6).
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Security footage showed her in a bikini outside of the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana at around 4.50am.
Konanki was with her friends when she was seen walking on the beach in the early hours of the morning. Most of the group returned to the hotel, leaving her and one other on the beach.
Dominican officials believe that's when she and the friend went for a swim - and got caught by a large wave.
She is still missing
She is still missing(Image: Handout)
They claim Konanki drowned but her body is yet to be found. On the other hand, US authorities say the investigation should remain open and active.
Loudoun County Sheriff's Office spokesman Thomas Julia told Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that speculation Konanki drowned may be only "based on her last known location."
He said: "There's no evidence to support that conclusion at this time. The investigation is looking at everything from an accident to foul play and interviews are ongoing, along with review of video and phone records. The best outcome is that she is found alive and well.'
Her case remains active
Her case remains active
Police already spoke with Konanki's friends to establish exactly where a maritime search should be focused, according to CNN. It is believed that Konanki told them she was heading to a party at the resort on Wednesday night, and her friends alerted authorities when she wasn't in her room the following morning.
She was last seen wearing a two-piece bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right wrist and multi-colored bracelets on her left, with a recent image of her showed her matching that description.
The search is still underway
The search is still underway(Image: Defense Civil)
The pre-med student was expected to graduate from the university in 2026, according to her LinkedIn profile. Before that, she attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Jared Stonesifer, a spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh, said school officials have been in contact with Konanki's family as well as local officials. He said: "We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office."