Last person seen with university student who went missing in Caribbean speaks out as they're named 'person of interest'
The last person seen with a missing university student who vanished in the Caribbean has spoken out after being named a 'person of interest' by US police.
Sudiksha Konanki, 20, disappeared nearly two weeks ago during a spring break holiday to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, which she had embarked on with five friends.
The group touched down on 3 March and checked into the Riu Hotel, before the student went missing three days later after a late night trip to the beach.
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Sudiksha's pals headed back to their hotel while she decided to stay on the sand with people she'd met during her travels - including fellow student Joshua Riibe.
The 22-year-old is believed to be the last person to have seen the missing woman alive, having told investigators they were 'kissing' in the water before being swept 'out to sea' by a wave.
But he claims they both made it back onto dry land safely and was left stunned when he discovered that Sudiksha had gone missing.
According to cops in the Dominican Republic, CCTV captured Sudiksha's last known movements as she headed onto the beach with her friends at around 4.15am local time on 6 March.
A search involving helicopters, divers, drones and dogs was launched for Sudiksha the following day after her friends raised the alarm, but investigators have still been unable to confirm her whereabouts.
A missing person report was later filed by the missing student's father, Subbarayudu Konanki, before authorities in Virginia - where Sudiksha is from - named Riibe as a 'person of interest'.
The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office emphasised that the holidaymaker is not considered a suspect, nor has he been accused or charged with a crime.
Riibe was detained in his hotel room 'under irregular conditions' and 'subjected to extensive questioning' 'without the presence of official translators or legal counsel', according to his family, 'despite his full willingness to cooperate'.
His relatives said in a statement to WTAE: "He has remained in his hotel room under police surveillance and has been repeatedly taken to the police station since March 6, where he has been interrogated for long hours.
"This situation has raised serious concern within his family, which has led us to retain legal counsel to initiate legal actions ensuring his safety and the protection of his rights throughout this process."
Riibe's passport was then confiscated by Dominican authorities on 14 March, his lawyers said.
The 22-year-old senior at Minnesota's St. Cloud State University, from Iowa, has since broken his silence on the case.
While visiting the beach that he and Sudiksha had spent time on with police, his father and his lawyer on Sunday (16 March), Riibe told NBC: "I’m just trying to help them out. The ocean is a dangerous place."
The outlet had previously obtained a transcript of the tourist's interview with local investigators, which laid out his version of events.
Riibe said that he had been in 'waist-deep water' with Sudiksha and that they had been 'talking and kissing a little' before being swept 'out to sea' by a wave.
"I kept trying to get her to breathe, but that didn't allow me to breathe all the time, and I swallowed a lot of water," he said, while adding that he used to work as a lifeguard.
"When I finally reached the ground on the beach, I held her in front of me. She wasn't out of the water, she was knee-deep and walking at an angle out the water.
"The last time I saw her, I asked if she was okay. I didn't hear her reply because I started vomiting all the water I had swallowed. After vomiting, I looked around. I didn't see anyone. I thought she had grabbed her things and left."
Riibe said he was shocked when he later found out that the student had gone missing.
Police then quizzed Riibe about what he'd told his friends about Sudiksha vanishing, what he thought about her disappearance, and whether he heard or saw any signs of distress in the sea.
Riibe responded: "My lawyers advise me not to answer that question and I follow their advice."
His family said that his accounts of the night may seem conflicting due to a different translator being present at each of three police interviews.
CCTV footage captured Riibe returning to his hotel room at 8.55am while barefoot and shirtless.
Despite being labelled a person of interest by authorities in Virginia, Riibe's lawyer says that the incident is still being treated as a missing persons case, rather than a criminal one.
Authorities in the Dominican told NBC they do not use the term person of interest and said that they have no suspects.
Riibe's family also told CBS News they hope Sudiksha is 'found as soon as possible'.
Topics: World News, US News
Olivia Burke