New information from law enforcement officials suggests that there were other individuals at the beach where Sudiksha Konanki, a college student, disappeared in the Dominican Republic.
Sudiksha, a 20-year-old student at the University of Pittsburgh, went missing from the beach of the Riu República Hotel in Punta Cana on March 6. A search operation involving air, sea, and land was promptly launched.
Law enforcement officials involved in the investigation revealed that video footage indicates the presence of more people at the beach when Sudiksha vanished, apart from a man who claimed to be accompanying her. Efforts are underway to identify these additional individuals.
After most of the group of students left, she stayed on the beach with one other person, ABC News reported. Investigators believe she may have drowned after being swept away by a wave while swimming, but Loudoun County officials called it speculation.
“There was some speculation that she may have drowned. I think it’s way too premature to make an assumption like that,” Sheriff Chapman told NewsNation Monday.
The FBI has been notified and that Dominican police continue to lead the investigation, with the bureau “ready to assist our international partners with any requests for assistance.”
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo via Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia]
