Spring break travelers urged to take certain precautions amid search for missing American college student

FIRST ON FOX — Former U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Robin Bernstein, who served betwixt 2018 and 2021, has a informing for outpouring breakers successful airy of the disappearance of American assemblage pupil Sudiksha Konanki from Punta Cana connected March 6.

Konanki, a 20-year-old University of Pittsburgh inferior from Loudoun County, Virginia, was past seen walking connected a formation extracurricular the five-star RIU Republica Resort, wherever she was staying with 5 pistillate friends, successful the aboriginal greeting hours of March 6. She has yet to beryllium located.

"My feeling is that the Dominican Republic is inactive a harmless spot to be, and unfortunately, people, erstwhile they spell connected outpouring interruption oregon if they spell connected vacation, they bash things that they usually wouldn't bash astatine home," Berstein told Fox News Digital. "Sometimes they don't marque the champion decisions. We person ever told radical to spell retired successful groups, enactment successful groups, benignant of person a wingman."

She besides said she "would not counsel anybody to locomotion unsocial connected a formation anywhere, actually, whether it beryllium Miami Beach, Chicago, Mexico."

MISSING AMERICAN IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: NO SUSPECTS AS SEARCH FOR SUDIKSHA KONANKI REACHES ONE WEEK

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, from bluish Virginia, was archetypal reported missing connected Thursday, March 6, aft disappearing from a formation successful the Dominican Republic. (Handout, left, and Defensa Civil Dominicana, right.)

Bernstein believes Dominican Republic instrumentality enforcement officials are "great" and volition enactment good with the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, which are besides progressive successful the hunt for Konanki, according to the Dominican Republic prosecutor's office.

"The Dominican Republic is doing everything it tin to assistance bring this to a resolution. The Dominicans truly conscionable determination with lightning speed."

"I deliberation it's conscionable unfortunate that nary 1 notified anyone until it was … overmuch aboriginal successful the day, that she was missing," Bernstein said.

AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT DISAPPEARS IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: TIMELINE

U.S. assemblage pupil Sudiksha Konanki went missing portion connected abrogation with her friends successful Punta Cana connected March 6, 2025. (Fox News Graphics)

Konanki went to a edifice barroom with her friends conscionable earlier she disappeared, presumably until the aboriginal greeting hours of March 6. Surveillance cameras captured video of the assemblage pupil walking with a young man, who had his arms wrapped astir her shoulders, aft 4 a.m. connected March 6.

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"The past recorded representation of her was astatine 04:17 AM, erstwhile she was seen leaving a edifice barroom successful a radical heading towards the beach. RIU unit acted appropriately upon being notified of the disappearance, fulfilling their work to pass the authorities, with whom, arsenic expected, practice has been absolute," RIU Resorts & Hotels said successful a statement.

HOTEL HORROR STORIES EMERGE AFTER AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT GOES MISSING AS RESORT INSISTS NO CONNECTION

Local authorities hunt for missing U.S. pupil Sudiksha Konanki successful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, connected March 11, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)

Konanki was seen for the past clip astir 4:50 a.m. walking connected the formation extracurricular the RIU Republica, but her friends seemingly did not study her missing until astir 12 hours aboriginal astatine 4 p.m. connected March 6.

"Obviously, the sooner that you tin fto idiosyncratic cognize and the constabulary and the embassy's involved, the amended it is for the missing person," Bernstein said. "… I'm gladsome to perceive that the Loudon County Sheriff has besides go progressive due to the fact that I deliberation the much minds progressive connected thing similar this, velocity is truly important. The longer it goes, the colder the lawsuit becomes."

AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT MISSING IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC DIDN’T DROWN, NATALEE HOLLOWAY PRIVATE EYE BELIEVES 

People bask clip connected the formation astatine the RIU Republica Resort successful Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, connected March 11, 2025. (Santiago Baez for Fox News Digital)

Bernstein extended her "deepest condolences to the household that is experiencing specified a tragedy."

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"What was expected to beryllium a amusive abrogation has truly turned into a parent's worst nightmare. I person 3 daughters myself, truthful … my bosom benignant of stops each clip I crook connected the TV," she said. "I conscionable anticipation that she'll beryllium found."

Authorities successful the Dominican Republic person said determination is nary fishy and this is simply a missing-person case, not a transgression case. 

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is not the pb bureau but said it is moving with the FBI and was sending detectives to the Dominican Republic.

Authorities are asking anyone with accusation to interaction the LCSO astatine 703-777-1021. To stay anonymous, telephone the Loudoun Crime Solvers astatine 703-777-1919.