Search Expands for Missing U.S. Student in Dominican Republic

Authorities from multiple nations are investigating the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, who was last seen on a Punta Cana beach on March 6.

Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student, went missing on March 6 after being last seen on the beach near the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana.
Dominican authorities, with assistance from the FBI and U.S. Embassy, have launched extensive air, sea, and land search efforts involving over 300 personnel and specialized units.
Surveillance footage shows Konanki staying behind with a man on the beach after her group left; the man has been questioned but is not officially a suspect.
The hotel experienced a prolonged power outage prior to her disappearance, which led many guests to gather on the beach, though the hotel denies any connection between the outage and the incident.
Konanki’s family has urged authorities to explore all possibilities, including potential foul play, as no conclusive evidence has yet emerged in the case.