A now chilling photo captures the University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki smiling at her Dominican Republic resort just before she vanished during a spring break trip.
Konanki, a 20-year-old resident of Loudoun County, Virginia, and an Indian national, was last seen around 4:50AM on Thursday (March 6), walking along the beach at the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, PEOPLE reported.
The student was on vacation with five friends from the University of Pittsburgh, including another Loudoun County resident. It remains unclear whether any of them were with her when she disappeared or if they have since returned home.
Authorities released a haunting final image of Konanki before her disappearance, showing her smiling while wearing a brown bikini top and white crocheted shorts.
Officials confirmed that she was last seen in the same brown bikini, along with a multi-colored beaded bracelet on her left wrist, yellow and steel bracelets on her right arm, an anklet on her right leg, and large round earrings.
Law enforcement launched a search effort early Saturday (March 8), utilizing drones and helicopters from the Dominican Republic’s armed forces.
Searchers in bright orange shirts and vests have been seen combing the white sands of the scenic beach, while video footage shows helicopters soaring low over the clear coastal waters.
The Indian Embassy is leading the search on the ground, collaborating with several Dominican agencies and officials from Loudoun County.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) confirmed that they were notified of Konanki’s disappearance on Thursday evening and quickly coordinated with federal and state law enforcement, as well as Dominican authorities.
The University of Pittsburgh is also in contact with Konanki’s family and local officials. “University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki’s family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely,” the school said in a statement.
As the search continues, friends and family are urging the public to spread the word. A missing person poster circulating online describes Konanki as 5 feet 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes.
Jared Stonesifer, a spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh, emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying: “We have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely," per News.com.au.
Meanwhile, a friend of Konanki’s parents pleaded for help on social media, writing: “We need your help to get the word out!
"If you are in the area or can help with the search, or if you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please reach out. The more people who know, the better the chances we can bring her home safely," they added.
Konanki’s father, Subbarayudu Konanki, told CNN that his daughter had traveled to Punta Cana for spring break before beginning her pre-med studies at the University of Pittsburgh.
“My daughter is a very nice girl,” he said, adding, "She’s ambitious. She wanted to pursue a career in medicine.”
According to her father, Konanki told her friends on Wednesday that she was heading to a party at the resort. "She went to the beach on March 6 early morning around 4AM with friends and some other guys they met at the resort...After that, her friends came back after some time, and my daughter did not come back, did not show up from the beach," he said.
When her friends realized she was not in her room the next morning, they contacted authorities, launching a large-scale land and sea search.
"So far, the authorities, multiple authorities here in the Dominican Republic, have searched in the waters. They searched using helicopters and other tools. They also searched in the nearby bay, bushes, and trees. They went multiple times around the same areas," her father said.
The distraught man has filed a criminal complaint, urging local authorities to expand their investigation beyond the water. “They’re only looking in the water, but I want them to also investigate other possibilities, including whether this is a case of kidnapping or human trafficking,” he said, per CNN.
He also expressed doubts about his daughter’s survival in the water. “We don’t think she would be able to survive for more than three days in the water, and I think something else might’ve happened to her,” he said.
According to WTOP, her family also noted that Konanki’s personal belongings - including her phone and wallet- were left with her friends, which they say is unusual, as she always carried her phone.
The US State Department has a level two travel advisory in place for the Dominican Republic, cautioning American travelers to remain vigilant.
“Violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, is a concern throughout the Dominican Republic,” the department warned in a June 2024 advisory.