The search for Sudiksha Konanki continues.
After key witness Joshua Riibe told Dominican Republic National Police about his encounter with the University of Pittsburgh student who went missing while on a spring break trip in Punta Cana, he was seen on the beach alongside investigators amid the search.
The 22-year-old—who told investigators that he and Konanki were swept into a wave while swimming in the ocean—pointed towards the water on March 16 alongside his attorney, investigators and security officials keeping people out of the area, according to an NBC News reporter on the scene.
“I’m just trying to help them out,” he told the outlet while at the Riu República Resort, where he and Konanki were staying respectively. “The ocean is a dangerous place.”
While Riibe is not considered a suspect by Dominican Republic authorities, who are leading the investigation, the Loudon County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office has said he is considered a person of interest in the missing persons case. (The sheriff’s office, where Konanki’s family lives, has no jurisdiction over the Dominican Republic investigation but has sent officials to Punta Cana to assist on the U.S. side of the investigation.)
Even so, the St. Cloud State University student has been “confined” to the resort since the investigation began, the law firm representing him told NBC News in an email March 15.
“His passport has been confiscated,” the statement continued. “He is permanently escorted by the police anywhere he goes. So no, he is not free to leave.”
Dominican National Police declined to confirm to the outlet whether Riibe’s passport was confiscated.
Riibe’s family shared a statement with the outlet expressing their sympathy with Konanki’s family and defending Riibe.
“Joshua Riibe is deeply dismayed by her disappearance and has fully cooperated in the search and clarification of the facts from the very beginning,” the statement said. “We recognize that this is a complex and painful situation for all parties involved, and we trust that the investigation will be conducted with transparency and justice.”
“Our only interest is that due process be respected and that actions be taken with the fairness that the situation requires,” it concluded. “We ask everyone to pray that Sudiksha be found and returned home to her family.”
Riibe said in his interview with Dominican authorities viewed by E! News that his friend, Konanki and her five friends had gotten shots at the bar before heading to the beach, where he and Konanki, 20, were “talking and kissing a little” in “waist-deep water.”
He recalled a “big wave” crashed over them and swept them into the current, and after surfacing, the pair “tried to call for help, but there was no one there.”
“When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I pulled her in front of me,” Riibe, who said he swam them both to the shore, told investigators. “She went to gather her belongings since the sea had moved us. She wasn’t out of the water, as it was up to our knees.”
“She was walking at an angle in the water,” he added. “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the seawater I’d swallowed.”
Riibe said he ultimately fell asleep on a nearby beach chair and believed Konanki returned to her hotel room. “My friend asked me if I knew where the girl was,” he said. “I told him I thought she had gone to her room, and he told me she never returned.”
While a body hasn’t been recovered, three Dominican officials close to the investigation told ABC News they believe Konanki died by drowning. However, Loudon County Sheriff Mike Chapman emphasized that it is “way too premature” to make that conclusion.
“There has been no sighting of her in any capacity here,” he explained on NewsNation’s Banfield March 10. “So, it’s very important that we go through all this like we do some detailed investigation. We are working closely with Dominican authorities.”
Read on to learn more about Konanki’s disappearance.
(E! News and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Where Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel to for Spring Break?
Sudiksha Konanki, a junior in biology at the University of Pittsburgh, traveled to the Dominican Republic on March 3 during spring break.
Who Did Sudiksha Konanki Travel With?
The 20-year-old headed to the Dominican Republic with five friends to celebrate the University of Pittsburgh’s spring break.
Where Was Sudiksha Konanki Staying?
Konanki had been staying at the Hotel Riu Palace Punta Cana, an all-inclusive resort.
Following her disappearance, the hotel told NBC News, “We have been working closely with the local authorities, including the police and the navy, to conduct a thorough search. We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time … we are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation.”
A hotel spokesperson shared with the outlet that prior to the incident, red flags, which indicated that “the sea had a strong current and very high waves,” were flying on the beach to warn guests.
When Was Sudiksha Konanki Reported Missing?
Konanki was reported missing on March 6 after her friends returned from a beach walk without her. She is believed to have disappeared between the hours of 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. that morning.
When Did Search and Rescue Efforts Begin for Sudiksha Konanki?
Following her disappearance, local officials began an investigation. Local civil defense confirmed it had begun searches on land and by sea, while a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office in Loudoun County in Virginia—where Konanki was from—told NBC News their investigations included obtaining video, going through cellphone evidence and talking to people who were with Konanki.
What Do Officials Believe May Have Happened to Sudiksha Konanki?
Although a body has not been recovered, three Dominican Republic officials—who are leading the investigation—told ABC News on March 9 that they believe Konanki died by drowning.
However, Loudoun County Public Information Officer Thomas Julia told NBC News that they have “an obligation to look at all possibilities, interview all parties and look at all phones that may provide info of value and are doing so.”
What Have Key Figures Told Police About Sudiksha Konanki’s Night on the Beach?
Joshua Riibe, a key witness in the search for Konanki, shared their encounter on the beach with Dominican authorities, alleging that while at the beach with a friend and Konanki’s party of six, he and Konanki were swept into a current while kissing and talking in “waist-deep water.”
“When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I pulled her in front of me,” Riibe told authorities, according to a transcript viewed by E! News.“She went to gather her belongings since the sea had moved us. She wasn’t out of the water, as it was up to our knees.”
“She was walking at an angle in the water,” he continued. “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the seawater I’d swallowed.”
The St. Cloud State University student said he fell asleep on a nearby beach chair and believed she returned to her room. “My friend asked me if I knew where the girl was,” he said. “I told him I thought she had gone to her room, and he told me she never returned.”
What Has Sudiksha Konanki’s Family Said About the Case?
Following Konanki’s disappearance, her father Subbarayudu Konanki told CNN his daughter had been traveling before beginning pre-med studies.
“My daughter is a very nice girl,” he said. “She’s ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.”
However, more than 10 days after her disappearance, her loved ones asked Dominican Republic authorities to declare her dead, a police spokesperson Diego Pesqueira told NBC News March 17, sending a letter requesting the declaration of death.
