Before College Student Vanished on Beach, Resort Says There Were 'Strong' Currents and 'Very High Waves'

Mar. 15, 2025

Riu Republica Hotel.Photo:Alamy Stock Photo

Alamy Stock Photo

As questions continue swirling aboutSudiksha Konanki—  the 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh student whowent missing last weekwhile on spring break in the Dominican Republic — resort officials say water conditions were potentially dangerous at the time.

A spokesperson for RIU Hotels and Resorts, which oversees the Riu Republica Hotel where Konanki was a guest, wrote in an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, March 12, that there was a “red flag placed on the beach” around the time she vanished, which they described as a “warning” that “the sea had a strong current and very high waves.”

“The beach had the red flag on it to warn people that currents were high,” she confirms, noting that personally, she didn’t feel comfortable going in the water because of the choppy conditions.

“Even on the normal days when a flag wasn’t out, the waves were over me at probably 5 feet, 6-8 inches,” she adds. “That day, they were way higher… the waves were probably reaching like six feet.”

However, despite the red flag on the beach, Sweeney claims the resort do enough to warn guests about the water conditions

Sudiksha Konanki.Handout

Handout

“For me personally, it wasn’t a big problem because I have visited the Dominican Republic before and other islands, so I know how dangerous the waters can be,” she adds “But for people that are visiting the Dominican Republic or going out of the country for the first time…you would have to look that up on your own or ask somebody who maybe knew that information already.”

RIU Hotels and Resorts did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, but previously said that a red flag on the beach indicates that “it is forbidden to go into the sea.”

The police, who are investigating Konanki’s case along with an array of local and international authorities, have saidKonanki was staying at the resort with five friendswho all arrived in the country on March 3.

She was last seen in surveillance footage with a group walking onto the beach around 4:15 a.m. local time on March 6, police said.

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On Wednesday, March 12, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office named Joshua Riibe, 24, as a person of interest, though he has not been accused of a crime.

“He is a person of interest in what is still a missing person investigation,” Loudoun County Sheriff’s spokesperson Thomas Julia said in a statement to PEOPLE.

Dominican authorities have not confirmed whether they consider Riibe a person of interest.

As search efforts continue, RIU Hotels and Resorts say they have been cooperating with authorities  — and have been from the start.

“RIU staff acted appropriately upon being notified of the disappearance, fulfilling their duty to inform the authorities, with whom, as expected, cooperation has been absolute,” they said in a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, Mar. 12. “RIU is also fully committed to offering any support that the young woman’s family may require during these difficult days.”

source: people.com