Virginia woman Sudiksha Konanki missing in Dominican Republic

Authorities in the Dominican Republic and the United States are searching for a missing Virginia woman who disappeared while on a trip to Punta Cana.

Sudiksha Konanki reported missing in Punta Cana

The backstory:

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office confirmed with FOX 5 that 20-year-old Sudiksha Konanki was last seen around 4:50 a.m. on March 6 on the beach at the RIU Republica Resort in Punta Cana. She is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. 

At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a brown two-piece bikini, large round earrings, a metal designer anklet on her right leg, yellow and steel bracelets on her right hand, and a multicolored beaded bracelet on her left hand.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office said that they were contacted Thursday evening about concerns regarding the missing Loudoun County woman. Officials immediately followed up with federal law enforcement, the State Department, and contacts in the Dominican Republic to investigate.

The sheriff's office also confirmed that six female students from the University of Pittsburgh were traveling in Punta Cana, at least two of whom are residents of Loudoun County. Konanki, a citizen of India, is among those students. 

A spokesperson from the University of Pittsburgh told FOX 5, "University officials are in contact with Sudiksha Konanki's family as well as authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, and we have offered our full support in their efforts to find her and bring her home safely."

The Embassy of India in the Dominican Republic has taken the lead, working alongside the State Department and local law enforcement to locate Konanki. 

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is supporting these efforts while continuing its investigation locally.

Authorities in the Dominican Republic have launched an extensive search, as well. 

The Dominican Civil Defense, local firefighters, the Dominican Navy, the National Police, and Politur, the country’s tourist police, are all involved in the search operation.

Fernando Castillo, the director of the Dominican Civil Defense in the region, stated that the Orange Search and Rescue Unit and other agencies have been looking for Konanki since early Saturday. 

The search resumed around 6 a.m. Sunday. A Dominican Civil Defense helicopter was seen flying over the beach near the resort. The agency also said it has deployed drones to look for Konanki. 

Anyone with information on Konanki’s whereabouts is urged to contact local police in the Dominican Republic at +1 (829) 618-7635 or reach out to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at +1 (703) 777-1021.