A witness in the disappearance of college student Sudiksha Konanki is sharing more details on the night she went missing.
While authorities search for the University of Pittsburgh junior—who was reported missing March 6 while on spring break in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic—a witness has come forward to share he and his friend met the 20-year-old and her friends in the lobby of the Hotel Riu Republica and then all headed to a bar.
After they “ordered some shots,” he recalled to Dominican investigators, according to NBC News, “someone suggested we go to the beach.”
The man—who is not considered a suspect by any authorities, however has been identified as a person of interest by Loudon County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia, where her family lives—and Sudiksha headed into the water, despite red flags warning of strong waves.
“We were in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little,” he said. “[Sudiksha] and I kissed. A big wave came and hit us both, and with the rising water, it swept us out to sea. As soon as we were able to surface, we tried to call for help, but there was no one there.”
The witness said he acted as a lifeguard and “grabbed her and pulled her out” and got them back to the shore.
“Then 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 said. “The last time I saw her, I asked if she was okay. I didn’t hear her answer because I started vomiting all the seawater I’d swallowed.”
He said that was the last time he saw Sudiksha. “I thought she’d grabbed her things and left,” the witness said. “After I saw her walk away, as she walked in the water, I never saw her again.”
The witness said he “felt really bad and tired,” so he laid down on a beach chair and fell asleep. “Then I woke up because of the sun and mosquito bites,” he continued. “I went to my friend’s room to get my phone, and then I went to my room to sleep.”
The man said he found out Sudiksha was missing when he woke up at dawn. “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.”
A security video showed Sudiksha and her friends entering the beach area of the hotel, National Police said. Though her friends headed back to the resort after about 40 minutes, she stayed behind with others who she met on the trip, Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman told NBC Washington March 10.
On the day Sudiksha was reported missing, her friends had gone out on an excursion. They realized she had disappeared roughly 12 hours later and informed the hotel, a National Police spokesperson said, per NBC News.
While the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has no jurisdiction in the missing person’s case, which is not being treated as a criminal investigation, its detectives are assisting on the ground as search efforts continue. Dominican authorities said March 14 they do not use the term “person of interest” and that no one is currently considered a suspect in the matter, NBC News said.
For a full timeline of events, read on…
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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.
