A traveler who was on the resort within the Dominican Republic on the identical day College of Pittsburgh scholar Sudiksha Konanki vanished is claiming there was “no communication” from the lodge relating to seaside security, leaving it “kind of just left up to your own discretion.”
D’Lani Sweeney spoke to NewsNation because the search stays ongoing for the lacking 20-year-old, who was final seen getting into the seaside early Thursday morning on the Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, in keeping with La Policia Nacional, the nation’s nationwide police drive. On Monday, ABC Information reported that Konanki might have drowned, citing regulation enforcement sources.
“I remember the waves being a lot bigger than they normally were. Me and my friends were on the beach and I remember telling them that I was not going to go into the ocean because I know I can swim, but not that well enough to feel safe in the ocean,” Sweeney stated. “I know a couple friends that did go in, but they weren’t in for a while and there weren’t as many people in the ocean as we normally would see.”
“There was no communication from the resort at all of, you know, this is our beach safety, to be safe. It was kind of just left up to your own discretion,” she added. “One night there was like a security guard whistling at people to come in from the beach that were going in, but that was the only night that I had seen it and we went practically almost every day down to the beach to take pictures.”
Sudiksha Konanki in a Fb selfie picture. The 20-year-old College of Pittsburgh junior has been lacking since March 6, when she vanished throughout a spring break journey to a five-star resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. (Sudiksha Konanki/Fb)
A video captured by Sweeney confirmed a crimson flag posted on the seaside, warning swimmers of tough circumstances within the water.
Sweeney additionally informed NewsNation that the resort was affected by a number of points throughout her current keep, together with extended energy outages, and that she believes “100 percent” that the circumstances might need prompted others similar to Konanki to spend extra time on the seaside than regular.
“I know people that got locked out of their rooms and because of the power being for hours, days on end, the customer service was not able to help them or regenerate their cards to work on their room, so people were sleeping in other people’s rooms, they were sleeping on the pool chairs, they were sleeping by the beach, they were staying out as long as they could because there was no AC in the rooms and the rooms would get 80 degrees plus.”
Civil protection boats seek for Sudiksha Konanki on Monday, March. 10. One report recommended Konanki drowned within the ocean in Punta Cana after getting swept up by a giant wave. (AP/Francesco Spotorno)
When requested concerning the claims Tuesday, RIU Resorts didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Fox Information Digital.
“At RIU Hotels, we are deeply concerned about the disappearance of one of our guests,” the resort operator informed Fox Information Digital in an announcement yesterday.
“We would like to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. The safety and well-being of our guests are our highest priority, and we are fully committed to doing everything in our power to assist in this situation,” it continued.
POLICE REVEAL MALE FRIEND IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING KONANKI’S DISAPPEARANCE
Sudiksha Konanki seems in an undated picture on her TikTok profile. She was final seen on March 6 at a resort seaside in Punta Cana. (@sudikshakonanki/TikTok)
“Our team is providing full support to the authorities in the search, and an emergency protocol has been activated to ensure that all necessary measures are taken. Additionally, we have established an internal communication channel so that any of our employees, across our five hotels in Punta Cana, who may have relevant information can share it with us or the authorities,” RIU Resorts additionally stated.
Konanki is initially from India however is a authorized everlasting U.S. resident from Loudoun County, close to Washington, D.C., in keeping with authorities. She is 5 ft, 3 inches tall, with black hair and brown eyes. She was final seen sporting a brown bikini, hoop earrings, bracelets and an anklet.
Dominican police have stated they’re investigating one in all Konanki’s pals and need to corroborate claims from a “young man” who was additionally within the water on the day of her disappearance.
A member of the civil protection canine unit searches on Monday for Sudiksha Konanki, a college scholar from the U.S. who disappeared on a seaside in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, final week. (AP/Francesco Spotorno)
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When requested if there’s any motive to suspect foul play, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Workplace in Virginia informed Fox Information Digital, “We have to consider all possibilities and U.S. law enforcement is looking at everything.”
Fox Information Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
