As the nearly weeklong search for the University of Pittsburgh student who vanished while on spring break in the Dominican Republic continues, Virginia authorities said she was last seen on the beach with people she met during her trip.
The frantic search for the 20-year-old junior Sudiksha Konanki entered its fifth day Tuesday.
Dominican Republic National Police said late Monday they are expanding the search by re-interviewing the last people who interacted with Konanki, her friends and hotel staff. They are also expanding surveys of surveillance footage.
The biology student had traveled to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with five friends from college on March 3.
Advertisement
Sudiksha Konanki.via Instagram
Konanki was last with people not part of her college friend group
The college student disappeared after 4:15 a.m. March 6 after she and her friends were seen on video surveillance entering the beach area of the RIU Republic Resort, where they were staying, Dominican Republic National Police said.
Her friends returned to the hotel, but Konanki didn’t, Loudoun County Sheriff Michael Chapman said.
Konanki stayed on the beach with other people who were not from the University of Pittsburgh that she had met while on the trip, the sheriff told NBC Washington on Monday. Dominican authorities are talking to those people, he said.
Dominican police said Monday that they were also interviewing a man who was at the beach around the same time and were trying to corroborate his story.
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said in a news conference Monday that one of the last people who had contact with Konanki reported “that a wave hit them while they were on the beach and caused some kind of situation,” citing local reports.
Advertisement
“We are investigating to clarify exactly what happened,” Abinder said, expressing sympathy for Konanki’s family.
There were no signs of blood or aggression found at the beach, DR National Police PIO Diego Pesqueira said.
Police had a team on the beach overnight on at least two occasions watching how the water moves to see where a body would drift if someone drowned. They were also looking to see where the waves crash.
Konanki’s friends went on an excursion March 6 and didn’t realize she was missing until about 4 p.m. that day, Pesqueira said.
The RIU Hotel said there was an electrical issue at the resort where Konanki was staying that started at 1 a.m. March 5 and was resolved by 3 a.m. March 6. The hotel also said access to the beach is always open and security guards are stationed around the hotel and area.
Advertisement
The investigation: A search by land and sea, and combing through phone records
Konanki is a citizen of India but a permanent resident of the U.S. from Chantilly, Virginia, according to the sheriff’s office. Chapman said she was reported missing to the office early Thursday evening.
The investigation is being led by Dominican police, the Dominican Republic’s Attorney General’s Office, the FBI and U.S. embassy liaison. The search includes search and rescue, the Dominican Navy, helicopters, boats and drones and K-9 officers.
Chapman said officials are also looking into Konanki’s phone and texts.
“We’re not ruling anything in or ruling anything out just yet,” he said.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office said it filed for a yellow notice — a worldwide police alert for a missing person — to be issued by INTERPOL.
Advertisement
“If she travels to another country or whatever, we’ll be alerted on that. We are going on the presumption that she’s still alive,” Chapman said. “We want to make sure that we’re exhausting every possible lead that we can and we feel we’re doing that.”
‘She was a brilliant student’
Shekar Pendem, a neighbor and family friend of Konanki’s family, described her as a kind and smart woman in the close-knit community.
“She was a brilliant student. She went to one of the great schools,” Pendem said. He lived next to the Konanki family for more than 10 years, and said she has two younger siblings, who are twins.
“It’s already going on four days, and the family is so sad,” he said. “They should expand the search beyond just the resort area to the city and town, and hopefully that may give some clue. We are really hoping for her to return.”
Marlene Lenthang
Advertisement
Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
Jesse Kirsch
Jesse Kirsch is a correspondent based in Miami reporting across all NBC News and MSNBC platforms.
Pittsburgh officials are partnering with a nonprofit to provide a unique way to thank veterans for their service while getting a grand look at the Steel City.
A 90-foot Ferris wheel dubbed the Salute to Service Wheel will be spinning on the North Shore from Wednesday through Sunday.
It’s provided by Piatt Companies and Piatt Sotheby’s International Realty with half of ticket sale proceeds going to Veterans Leadership Program.
First launched in 1982, VLP helps veterans navigate life’s transitions. Efforts include wellness services, housing, career development and various support programs.
Advertisement
Mayor Corey O’Connor, parks and recreation director Eric Sloan, Piatt Companies CEO Lucas Piatt and representatives from the Veterans Leadership Program are expected to host a grand opening celebration Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. at North Shore Drive and Art Rooney Avenue and take the first rides.
It is part of Pittsburgh’s Independence Day celebration.
Tickets are on sale now and cost $11.20, including a $1.20 service fee. They can be found at pittsburghpa.gov.
Bookings are in hour intervals from 2-9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday and from 2-8 p.m. Sunday.
Riders smaller than 48 inches tall must be accompanied by an adult.
Several communities in the Pittsburgh area have adjusted their trash pickup times as the region is bracing for a heat wave with temperatures and heat indexes expected to be near 100 degrees this week.
The hottest temperatures of 2026 are expected this week and by Tuesday afternoon, temperatures are anticipated to reach into the 90s. This, coupled with extremely high humidity levels, means the heat index — also known as the “feels like” temperature — will flirt with triple digits.
In Mt. Lebanon, trash and recycling pickup routes will begin earlier than normal to help keep workers safe amid the extreme heat.
“All trash and recycling should be placed at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day, as collection times may occur earlier than usual,” a notice posted on municipality’s Facebook page said.
Advertisement
Shaler Township said that it received an update from County Hauling that collection crews will begin their routes earlier than normal this week as well.
“Please place all trash and recycling at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day,” the township said.
In Robinson Township, trash collection will begin at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, one hour earlier than normal.
People are being asked to have their trash and recycling at the curb at least one hour prior to their normal pickup time.
Pleasant Hills Borough said it had adjusted its trash pickup schedule for earlier in the day on Friday to “help reduce employee exposure to hazardous temperatures.”
Advertisement
“This temporary adjustment is being made in the interest of employee health and safety,” the borough said. “We kindly ask that you help notify your residents that all trash and/or recycling should be placed at the curb the night before their scheduled collection day, as collection times may occur earlier than usual.”
In Brentwood Borough, Noble Environmental will begin earlier collection on pickup routes as well.
People are being asked to place their trash and recycling at the curb the night before their scheduled collection day.
The borough added that collection days are not changing, only the start time of the pickup routes.
“Thank you for your cooperation as crews work safely during this week’s heat wave,” the borough said.
Advertisement
The Library Volunteer Fire Company said that trash pickup in South Park Township is being moved earlier on Thursday.
“We kindly ask Township residents to place trash and recycling at the curb the night before Thursday, July 2nd pickup, as collection times may occur earlier than usual,” the notice said.
