The family of a US student missing in the Dominican Republic for nearly two weeks has reportedly requested that local authorities declare her deceased. Sudiksha Konanki, 20, from Loudoun County, Virginia, and a student at the University of Pittsburgh, was last seen on March 6 while walking along a beach in Punta Cana. Despite extensive search efforts, including the use of drones, helicopters, and both national and tourist police, Konanki has not been found._AUTHORITIES continue to search the waters in case she drowned, and the family has sent a letter to the police requesting a declaration of her death. It is said that the last person to see Konanki was 22-year-old Joshua Riibe, a Minnesota student who has been detained but not named as a suspect. Riibe claims he stayed with Konanki on the beach, and when they were pulled out by a strong tide, he, a former lifeguard, swam her back to shore before she disappeared. He said he asked if she was okay but did not hear her answer and thought she had just left. Riibe’s parents accused Dominican officials of detaining him under “irregular conditions” without translators or legal assistance, stating that he has been confined to a hotel room with police surveillance for over a week.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/parents-of-us-student-missing-in-dominican-republic-ask-police-to-declare-her-dead-13331239