The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the Dominican Republic’s police in searching for the University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki, who went missing a week ago while on spring break.
Konanki, 20, vanished Thursday in Punta Cana, a town located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic’s police said in a statement on Monday that it was reinterviewing individuals who were with the University of Pittsburgh student before she disappeared, including hotel workers.
Konanki was seen on March 6 around 4:50 a.m. local time on the beach at the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, according to the missing person posters shared by the local outlet, Listin Diario.
The hotel said a power outage occurred at the same time sending several guests to the beach, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
A team of forensic technicians is performing an analysis of video surveillance footage, from when Konanki arrived in the Dominican Republic till now, law enforcement said Monday.
When she was last seen, Konanki was wearing big round earrings, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left hand, a brown bikini and a metal designer anklet on her right leg, according to the poster.
Konanki is from Chantilly, Va. The 20-year-old is a citizen of India and a permanent resident of the United States, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office added that Konanki was vacationing with five other female college friends at the resort.
When reached for comment, the FBI referred The Hill to Dominican Republican authorities.
“The FBI stands ready to assist our international partners with any requests for assistance,” the FBI said in a statement.
