PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic (AP) – The search efforts for Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old U.S. college student who went missing in the Dominican Republic, have intensified. Konanki, who is a student at the University of Pittsburgh and also an Indian citizen, disappeared during the early hours of March 6 in the resort town of Punta Cana. Local authorities are focusing their search in the waters surrounding the area, considering the possibility that she may have drowned.
In connection with her disappearance, Joshua Riibe, a student from Minnesota, has been identified as the last known person to see Konanki. Although he has not been formally named a suspect, his presence during the incident has drawn attention from law enforcement. On March 9, Riibe, accompanied by his attorney, approached officials on the beach where Konanki was last seen, in an effort to clarify the events of that night.
According to a transcript of an interview conducted with Riibe, which was reported by various media outlets including NBC and Telemundo, he stated that he and Konanki were drinking on the beach and were engaged in kissing while in waist-deep water. Riibe recounted that they were unexpectedly pulled out to sea by a strong tide. As a former lifeguard, he claimed to have swum Konanki back to shore. After reaching the beach, he stated that he felt nauseous and vomited. He added that Konanki mentioned she would return to get her belongings, but when he looked up, she had vanished. Riibe expressed surprise upon learning about her subsequent disappearance.
In the wake of the incident, Riibe's parents have raised concerns about the conditions of their son's interrogation by Dominican authorities. They assert that he has been detained under “irregular conditions,” without access to translators or legal counsel, and has been confined to a hotel room under police surveillance for over a week. Furthermore, they claim that he has been subjected to repeated interrogations at the police station and that he has been “fully cooperating” with the investigation.
Despite the mounting scrutiny, the statement made by Albert and Tine Riibe, Riibe's parents, did not provide additional information regarding Konanki's disappearance or the circumstances surrounding their son's involvement. They have retained legal assistance to ensure that his rights are protected in the ongoing investigation. As of now, Dominican public prosecutors have not issued a response to the Riibe family's statement.
In addition to local authorities, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has also joined the inquiry into Sudiksha Konanki’s disappearance, signifying the case's seriousness and international implications.
As the search continues, local authorities are determined to follow every lead in hopes of unraveling the circumstances surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana.
