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Search operations for Sudiksha Konanki, a University of Pittsburgh student who went missing during her spring break in the Dominican Republic, have entered their second week. The 20-year-old was last seen around 4:00 AM on March 6 at a hotel. Authorities are treating her disappearance as a missing persons case and are exploring the possibility that she may have drowned, while also keeping open the option of foul play.
Who is Sudiksha Konanki?
Sudiksha Konanki is a biology and chemistry major at the University of Pittsburgh. The junior, who traveled to a resort in Punta Cana with five female friends, is a permanent resident of the United States with Indian citizenship. She and her family reside in Chantilly, Virginia, which is in Loudoun County.
Where was she last seen?
On the morning of March 6, surveillance footage captured Ms. Konanki walking towards the beach with her friends. While her five companions returned to the hotel, she remained on the beach with one of the men from their group. According to local police, the last person known to be in contact with her reported that a wave hit them while they were by the shoreline. Joshua Riibe, the senior from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota who was with her, has expressed hopes for her swift return. His family released a statement emphasizing their desire for a thorough and fair investigation into the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
What do investigators say?
Search teams have been actively engaged for many hours and are utilizing drones to divide the search areas effectively. Footage captured by aerial pilots is being analyzed by a command center employing AI technology to spot objects in the water. Investigators are searching both land and sea, although they have not found any blood or indications of violence at the beach, leaving the nature of her disappearance uncertain.
The University of Pittsburgh has been coordinating with various federal authorities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, in relation to Ms. Konanki’s case.
Interpol issues alert
Following Ms. Konanki’s disappearance, Interpol has issued a global alert classified as a yellow notice, which is typically used for missing persons or victims of kidnappings. This highlights the international concern regarding her case and the urgency of finding her.
Source
www.bbc.com