Lacking American in Dominican Republic: Unpredictable ocean currents, beachfront pose main search problem

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic — Unpredictable currents are recognized to impression the idyllic resort the place College of Pittsburgh pupil Sudiksha Konanki was final seen earlier than vanishing within the Dominican Republic final week.

Her final recognized whereabouts got here within the early hours of March 6, headed to the seaside on the five-star Riu Republicana resort in Punta Cana.

Everybody else seen going to the seaside along with her is accounted for. She by no means returned.

The resort has been flying pink flags for days – indicating robust currents and massive waves.

AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT SUDIKSHA KONANKI’S DISAPPEARANCE IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE

Native authorities seek for lacking US pupil Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Konanki, 20, was final seen on March 6 on a seaside outdoors the five-star RIU Republica Resort within the Dominican Republic. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)

Even when the inexperienced flag is up – protected waters – circumstances can change with out warning, based on Yuri, an area constitution boat captain.

“Within the Caribbean, swiftly the wind comes,” he informed Fox Information Digital. “You need to at all times be vigilant.”

Lots of the seashores have netting put in to maintain swimmers protected and hold out floating seagrass. Nevertheless, parts of the seaside are unprotected, together with a number of sections of the seaside behind the Riu.

There’s additionally a coral reef stretching alongside the Punta Cana seaside that ends close to the lodge’s beachfront, permitting for stronger currents, Yuri stated. Sharks are unusual within the space, however not unprecedented, he added. Within the daytime, they’re possible afraid of the sound of motorboats. However the boats aren’t energetic at evening.

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Native authorities seek for lacking US pupil Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Konanki, 20, was final seen on March 6 on a seaside outdoors the five-star RIU Republica Resort within the Dominican Republic. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)

The currents are additionally unpredictable, consultants say.

“Punta Cana is situated on the Mona Passage, which connects the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico,” defined FOX Climate meteorologist and digital content material producer Andrew Wulfeck, who examined coastal data from across the time of Konanki’s disappearance. 

“As is widespread the place two waterways meet, the swell might be erratic and troublesome to forecast, not like the extra predictable patterns usually seen on seashores alongside the U.S. East Coast.”

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Folks get pleasure from time on the seaside on the RIU Republica Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, was final seen on March 6 on a seaside outdoors the five-star RIU Republica Resort within the Dominican Republic. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)

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Due to the predictability up the shoreline of the mainland United States, he stated, authorities know that if somebody is washed away, they are going to sometimes be carried to the north.

“Sadly for authorities on the island of Hispaniola, the erratic nature of the swells there means it’s unattainable to foretell the place objects might wash up, necessitating the necessity for heightened vigilance from all beachgoers,” Wulfeck stated.

On the morning of Konanki’s disappearance, swells of between 4 and 6 toes had been coming from the north and east, he stated. Nevertheless, within the following days, they shifted towards the east and south.

Native authorities seek for lacking US pupil Sudiksha Konanki in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Konanki, 20, was final seen on March 6 on a seaside outdoors the five-star RIU Republica Resort within the Dominican Republic. (Santiago Baez for Fox Information Digital)

“To illustrate, as an illustration, she was caught up in a rip present, she might have been dragged out after which the present might have carried her someplace else,” he stated. “A close-by buoy within the Mona Passage signifies water temperatures are within the low to mid-80s, which may also help assist an individual who is perhaps stranded on a flotation gadget with out the specter of rapid hypothermia.”

Whereas early stories recommended she might have drowned, consultants say they consider she would have washed ashore or been discovered by now if that had been the case. Authorities are formally urging the general public to not leap to conclusions because the investigation unfolds.

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They’ve recognized and questioned an individual of curiosity within the case, an American faculty pupil who was the final particular person seen with Konanki the morning she vanished, but it surely has not been deemed a felony matter. It’s presently a lacking particular person investigation.

Konanki, a junior on the College of Pittsburgh who’s from Loudoun County, Virginia, was final seen on safety footage strolling towards the seaside round 4:15 a.m. She was with a gaggle of younger individuals, together with 5 feminine buddies and two younger males, one in all whom is believed to be an individual of curiosity within the case. That they had been ingesting on the lodge bar.

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, from Virginia, vanished in Punta Cana. (Handout, left, and Defensa Civil Dominicana, proper.)

The classmates and one other man had been seen returning to the lodge round 6 a.m.

Hours later one other man, believed to be the particular person of curiosity, returned alone. Konanki has not been seen once more.

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Her buddies reported her lacking round 4 p.m.

Police have spent days looking out the shoreline with boats, dive groups and helicopters. The FBI is concerned, and the sheriff from her Virginia hometown stated he can be sending two detectives to help within the investigation.

Fox Information’ Audrey Conklin and Stepheny Worth contributed to this report.