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A viral video circulating on social media is being falsely claimed to show the moment University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki drowned. The clip in question features a woman being pulled into the ocean by powerful waves, while a man attempts to save her. However, a detailed investigation has revealed that the video is unrelated to Konanki’s case.
The Disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki
Konanki, a 20-year-old Indian-origin student, went missing while on a spring break trip in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. She was last seen at the Riu Republica Resort beach on March 6 at around 4:50 AM. Authorities have been investigating her disappearance, but her body has not been recovered.
Does the Video Show Konanki’s Drowning?
The viral video appears similar to a scenario described by Joshua Riibe, the last person seen with Konanki. During questioning, Riibe claimed that he had saved Konanki from drowning before passing out due to ingesting salt water. However, the footage being circulated is not connected to this case.
🌊CAUTION: The family of Sudiksha Konanki now fears she drowned near the RIU Republica Resort in the Dominican Republic.
Advertisement · Scroll to continueWATCH how quickly waves become DANGEROUS.
Joshua Riibe was the last person to see her on March 6 at 4:50am in the surf on the beachfront of the hotel. pic.twitter.com/i7O7tc5PzV
— John Sitarek (@JohnSitarek) March 19, 2025
A fact-check by AFP using reverse image searches confirmed that the video is several months old and actually depicts an incident in Sochi, Russia. According to Russian media reports, the video captures a tragic event from June 16, 2024, at Riviera Beach along the Black Sea. In that case, the woman was later identified as aspiring model Diana Belyaeva, 20, and the man was her boyfriend. The video shows her being swept away by the tide, and her body was recovered days later.
Geographical Mismatch Debunks False Claim
Further analysis of the footage shows clear differences between the locations. The coastline in the viral video matches the landscape of Riviera Beach in Sochi, as confirmed by images on Google Maps and Russia’s Yandex Maps. Meanwhile, photographs of the Dominican Republic beach where Konanki disappeared show a completely different setting, proving that the video is unrelated to her case.
Konanki’s Family Accepts That She Drowned
While Konanki’s body has not been found, her parents have expressed their belief that she drowned. Following their request, Dominican Republic authorities allowed Riibe to return home to Iowa.
“Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of the incident, and both sides of the authorities have clarified the person of interest was not a suspect from the beginning,” said Subbarayudu Konanki, Sudiksha’s father.
“It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that we are coming to terms with the fact our daughter has drowned,” he added. “This is incredibly difficult for us to process.”
