A University of Pittsburgh student has mysteriously disappeared during a spring break trip to the Dominican Republic, sparking an ongoing search effort.
Sudiksha Konanki, a 20-year-old from northern Virginia, was reported missing on Thursday in Punta Cana, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. Punta Cana, located in the eastern region of the Caribbean island nation, is a well-known tourist destination. Konanki was last seen around 4:50 a.m. on a beach at the five-star Riu Republica Resort and has not been heard from since, as stated in a flyer circulating online. Local reports indicate she was walking along the beach at the time.
Konanki was part of a group of six female University of Pittsburgh students visiting the area, according to a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. She is an Indian citizen and a permanent legal resident of the United States. Described as 5 feet 3 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes, she was last seen wearing a brown two-piece bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left hand.
Defensa Civil Dominicana, a search and rescue organization in the Dominican Republic, reported that they conducted a full day of search operations on Saturday and plan to resume their efforts on Sunday. In an Instagram post, the agency stated, "The Orange Search and Rescue Unit, along with other institutions, worked from early Saturday hours trying to locate Sudiksha Konanki, without success."
The Indian Embassy in the Dominican Republic is collaborating with the U.S. State Department and local law enforcement. The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson confirmed they are also supporting these efforts and continuing their investigation locally. The State Department’s latest travel advisory, issued in June 2024, urges travelers to exercise increased caution in the Dominican Republic due to crime, assigning it a Level 2 warning.
The advisory highlights concerns about violent crime, including armed robbery, homicide, and sexual assault, though it notes that resorts are generally better policed than urban areas like Santo Domingo.
The University of Pittsburgh has stated it is in contact with Konanki’s family and authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and is offering full support to locate her and bring her home safely. Fox News Digital has reached out to the university for additional comments.
Michael Dorgan is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Tips can be sent to [email protected], and he can be followed on Twitter @M_Dorgan.
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