Timesdo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, a student from the University of Pittsburgh, has left authorities and her family on edge as the investigation into her whereabouts continues after she vanished during her spring break in the Dominican Republic.
Joshua Riibe, identified as a person of interest in the case, told authorities that he saved Konanki from drowning in the ocean during the early morning hours of March 6.
According to Dominican media outlet Noticias SIN, both were swept by the current while walking along the shore. Riibe claims he managed to safely bring her back to the coast, although both struggled with the effects of the strong tide.
Once on solid ground, Riibe stated that he vomited saltwater due to the effort, while Konanki walked away to collect her belongings, which, according to him, had been carried away by the waves. Although he tried to ask if she was okay, he couldn’t hear her response due to his condition. Riibe claims the last time he saw her, she was walking in shallow waters, but after that, she disappeared from sight.
Later, Riibe fell asleep on the beach and woke up at dawn after being bitten by mosquitoes, prompting him to return to his hotel to rest. Both were staying at the Riu Republica Hotel and were last seen together around 4:15 a.m., according to authorities. It is estimated that Konanki disappeared around 4:50 a.m.
Although Riibe claims to have saved Sudiksha’s life, he refused to answer several key questions from investigators, stating that his lawyers advised him to remain silent. Among the avoided questions were whether he reported the beach incident to authorities, what he told his friends about the situation, and how his testimony can be verified.
Local authorities are working closely with the FBI and the Dominican National Police in the investigation to clarify this vacation mystery. The search for Sudiksha Konanki remains active as efforts continue to gather more information about her disappearance.