Sudiksha Konanki disappeared on March 6, 2025, at the Riu República Resort in Punta Cana during spring break. Last seen at 4:50 AM, surveillance footage shows her heading to the beach with Joshua Riibe, who claims they were swept out to sea. Dominican authorities conducted extensive searches with U.S. agency assistance. Her sarong was found on a beach chair. Despite initial suspicions about Riibe, Konanki’s parents eventually accepted the likelihood of drowning. The full circumstances remain shrouded in unanswered questions.

When Sudiksha Konanki vanished during spring break at the Riu República Resort in Punta Cana, what began as a carefree vacation transformed into an international mystery. The 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student disappeared in the early morning hours of March 6, 2025. Surveillance footage shows Konanki with friends at the hotel bar before they moved to the beach around 4:15 AM. She was last seen at approximately 4:50 AM.

Joshua Riibe, a 22-year-old student from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, was reportedly the last person with Konanki. He claims they were swept out to sea by a wave and that he attempted to save her before making it back to shore himself. Investigators later found Konanki’s sarong on a beach lounge chair, providing one of the few physical clues in the case.

The Dominican Republic National Police led the search operation with assistance from U.S. agencies including the FBI and DEA. Their efforts encompassed land, sea and air operations. Interpol issued a yellow notice for the missing student as authorities expanded their search. Despite extensive efforts, the investigation was complicated by a power outage at the resort. The incident has sparked widespread community outrage online, with many social media users drawing parallels to the Natalee Holloway case.

Riibe became a person of interest in the case. Dominican authorities confiscated his passport and kept him under surveillance at the resort. However on March 19, a judge ruled in favor of his habeas corpus petition, allowing him to move freely within the country while awaiting a hearing about the return of his passport. Sheriff Chapman noted that Riibe had been forthcoming during interviews, though there were minor inconsistencies in his account.

Konanki’s parents, who reside in Loudoun County, Virginia, initially called for a thorough investigation. They later requested their daughter be declared deceased, citing a lack of evidence of foul play. They expressed belief that she likely drowned and thanked those involved in the international search efforts.

As authorities scale back search operations, the disappearance remains unresolved. The case has highlighted safety concerns during spring break, particularly in an area with previous tourist drownings.