Man who last saw missing Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki thought she took 'her things and left'

The antheral who past saw missing University of Pittsburgh pupil Sudiksha Konanki told investigators helium tried to prevention her from the ocean, and that helium thought she was OK and had "taken her things and left."

Authorities judge Konanki, a 20-year-old who went missing portion connected outpouring interruption successful Punta Cana, died by drowning, officials told ABC News.

MORE: Missing Univ. of Pittsburgh pupil believed to person died by drowning successful Dominican Republic

On March 5, Konanki was portion of a radical that went to a nightclub and past for a locomotion connected the beach, 3 Dominican officials progressive successful the probe told ABC News. Most of the radical went backmost to the edifice astir 5:55 a.m. One antheral -- 24-year-old Joshua Riibe -- stayed with Konanki connected the beach, and the 2 went for a swim, according to a Dominican Republic investigative constabulary report.

Riibe, who met Konanki that night, confirmed helium and and the 20-year-old kissed aft a nighttime of drinking, helium told a authoritative Thursday, according to a transcript provided to ABC News from 2 Dominican Republic sources.

"A large question came and deed america both, past the tide pulled america into the ocean," helium told the prosecutor. "When we surfaced, we tried to plead for help, but determination was nary 1 there."

Riibe, a excavation lifeguard, said helium "held her nether my limb and swam to get her retired of the water."

"I was trying to marque definite that she could respire the full clip -- that prevented maine from breathing the full clip and I took successful a batch of water," helium explained.

“When I yet touched the sand, I enactment her successful beforehand of me. Then she got up to spell get her worldly since the water had moved us," Riibe told the prosecutor. "She was not retired of the h2o since it was up to her knee. She was walking astatine an space successful the water."

MORE: New details look successful hunt for missing University of Pittsburgh pupil Sudiksha Konanki successful the Dominican Republic

"The past clip I saw her, I asked her if she was OK. I didn't perceive her effect due to the fact that I began to vomit with each the h2o I had swallowed," helium said. "After vomiting, I looked astir and I didn't spot anyone. I thought she had taken her things and left."

"After I saw her walking away, portion she was walking successful the water, I ne'er saw her again," helium said.

Riibe said helium passed retired connected a formation seat and woke up to the prima and mosquitoes connected him. He was seen connected surveillance footage returning to his country respective hours later.

Authorities said Riibe is not a fishy and is cooperating. But the prosecutor’s bureau said it is "conducting aggregate investigating steps that widen beyond a imaginable accidental event."

Man who past saw missing Pittsburgh pupil Sudiksha Konanki thought she took 'her things and left' primitively appeared connected abcnews.go.com