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Before the disappearance of an American university student In the Dominican Republic, She and the last people with whom she was seen on March 6 had been drinking before deciding to swim in rough waves, which caused questions about the responsibility that the complex where they stayed could face.
In the early hours of the morning of March 6, Sudiksha Konanki and his friends walked from a hotel bar to the beach outside Riu Republica in Punta Cana, where they stayed with five friends of the Pittsburgh University.
Apparently, the 20 -year -old girl went to swim with a 22 -year -old named Joshua Riibe, from Iowa, who has been identified as a witness in her disappearance. Apparently, Riibe told the authorities of the Dominican Republic that they went to swim and that they were beaten by a great wave, which is the last time he saw her.
“I was in Natalee Holloway’s investigation in the background when. And although there are some similarities here, there are some differences,” said Chris Sweecker, a former deputy director of the FBI criminal investigation division, Fox News Digital. “But in this case, I think it is plausible, based on everything I have read, that it is a drowning … I do not think it is an extravagant assumption here, based on the facts, that both were quite drunk.”
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, has been missing from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, since March 6. (Brochure/ Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)
Riibe told Police that he had been drinking vodka with 7up and tequila shots, adding that the group of women he had bought “pink tequila shots” that they drank as a group.
On the beach, he and Konanki entered the water while two of her friends remained on the ground. Riibe and Konanki were talking when a “great wave” hit them, Riibe said. There was a warning of Flag Red on the beach at that time, indicating a warning so that people were not swimming in rough waves.
The American university student disappears in the Dominican Republic: Timeline
In January, four tourists drowned near Punta Cana, when a red flag warned about strong currents and agitated seas, according to Associated Press.
Local authorities are looking for the US student. Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)
“When it comes to the ocean … if you don’t recover a quite fast body, then marine life will take care of it,” Sweecker said. “And we have not seen a body washing forest.”
Swecker, who is also a lawyer, added that “I could definitely see a responsibility problem for the complex” in relation to Konanki’s disappearance.
“Depending on industry standards for a resort like that, where there are enough cameras, either … people were out of the hotel due to an energy cut. Should there have been beach security?” asked.
SUDIKSHA KONANKI in a Facebook selfie photo. The Junior of the 20 -year -old Pittsburgh University has been missing since March 6. (Sudiksha Konanki/Facebook)
Only two hours before Konanki’s disappearance, Riu Republic had solved an electricity interruption almost 25 hours long that impacted around 30% of the complex, leaving some people without light, water, Wi-Fi or electricity in their rooms to load telephones or other electronic.
“In response to the publications that link the experienced electrical failure at the Riu Republic Hotel with the tragic disappearance of the guest Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, Riu Hotels & Resorts wants to clarify firmly that both events are completely unrelated,” said Riu Resorts & Hotels previously Fox News Digital in a statement.
The hotel parent company added that the efforts of Riu Republica staff “were exemplary in terms of dedication, commitment and professionalism to solve a serious technical failure in a matter of hours and mitigate the effects it had on services throughout the time.”
Researchers have expanded the search area since the American university student Sudiksha Konanki is still missing. (Fox News Graphics)
Luis Vilchez, lawyer of the Dominican Republic, does not believe that the complex is responsible unless the guests prove that “the hotel or its employees acted recklessly.”
“If the guest will act recklessly, the hotel, in principle, would not be considered responsible.”
“In the same way, with respect to the swimming conditions on the beach, it should be demonstrated that the hotel could not provide adequate signage to inform guests about the proper use of the beach,” Vilchez told Fox News Digital.
“If the guest would act recklessly, the hotel, in principle, would not be considered responsible, for example, if the guest swimmed outside, designated hours, when no lifeguards were on service and, despite the signs of visible danger, such as red flags that indicate bad weather.”
Military personnel seek Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on March 10. (AP/Francesco Spotorno)
He continued: “In this particular case, I do not see reasons for a claim against the complex when two adults did not follow the security measures established by the hotel to prevent accidents. That is, it would be necessary to demonstrate that the hotel was negligent when indicating, communicating or enforcing security measures.”
Sweecker said it would be possible for Konanki’s family to sue the negligence complex if there was no “insufficient security”, “insufficient lighting on the beach” or for not closing or securing the beach during a red rotation warning.
Fox News Digital communicated with Riu Republic to comment.
Konanki was last seen in surveillance images walking from Riu Republica to the beach with seven other people, including five women and two men, around 4:15 am on March 6. He was last seen on the beach around 4:50 am, according to the office of the prosecutor of the Dominican Republic and the hotel.
Local authorities participate in the search for the missing student Sudiksha Konanki, on March 11, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)
Hotel surveillance images show a group of six people, including five women and one man, returning to the hotel from the beach around 5:55 am
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The young man seen previously with Konanki is seen in surveillance images that enter the hotel around 9 am on March 6.
The authorities are asking anyone with information to communicate with the Sheriff’s office of the Loudoun County to 703-777-1021. To remain in anonymity, call the crimes solutions of Lounda to 703-777-1919.
Michael Ruiz and Ashley Pope of Fox News contributed to this report.
