The disappearance of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki during her spring break in the Dominican Republic has now become international in scope, involving American, Dominican, and Indian authorities. Konanki last appeared in surveillance footage near the Punta Cana beach of the Riu República Hotel early on March 6, according to a report by the New York Post. The student was reportedly stumbling and holding hands with a man identified by local authorities as a "person of interest."

As the search intensifies with more than 300 people involved, including the FBI and the U.S. Embassy, a recent statement from Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader suggested that the authorities are investigating Konanki's case as an accident following an incident where a wave crashed into the beachgoers. Yet, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office in Virginia, under the leadership of Sheriff Mike Chapman, advised against speculation, despite "considerable public speculation" concerning Konanki's whereabouts, as reported by CBS News Pittsburgh.

Despite previous suggestions of a drowning incident, "national police officials would not confirm reports that Riibe’s passport has been seized," as per the New York Post, casting another layer of complexity onto the case.

Details on Konanki's last known interactions further deepened the mystery. Beyond staggering along the beach, Konanki and the man were seen entering the water, after which the man reported feeling ill and subsequently passing out on the beach, leaving Konanki last spotted standing ankle-deep in the sea. "The general prosecutor’s office said Wednesday officials are also investigating whether Konanki’s disappearance could extend “beyond a possible accidental event," CNN reported, giving heed to the family's concerns for a broader scope of investigation into the incident.