The glossy brochure promises a carefree party paradise boasting eight pools, free-flowing booze and a ‘heavenly’ powder-white beach.
And the partying doesn’t stop for spring breakers despite the plethora of police, soldiers and somber-faced officials swarming Hotel Riu Republica in Punta Cana to search for missing med student Sudiksha Konanki, 20,
The five-star Hotel Riu Republica in Punta Cana was teeming with cops, soldiers and somber-faced officials as DailyMail.com joined the frantic hunt for missing spring breaker.
A 300-strong search team utilizing drones, sniffer dogs and Navy divers scoured the tropical playground for a fifth day without finding any trace of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha, who was last seen here in the early hours of March 6.
DailyMail.com accompanied officers from the National Police as they trawled a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) stretch of coast by motorboat Tuesday afternoon, peering into the turquoise waters around the sun-drenched eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, home to some of the Caribbean’s ritziest hotels.
The sighting of an unspecified object bobbing around in the ocean sparked a flurry of activity but it was quickly ruled out when a military helicopter swooped down for a closer look.
Canine units meanwhile combed the maze of palm trees along the shoreline for clues but they too came up empty-handed.
The FBI have been providing behind the scenes assistance since Monday, bolstering an unprecedented search operation already involving the Dominican Army, Navy commandos, civil rescue teams and forensic experts.
The sight of dozens of uniformed cops and soldiers massing on the Arena Gorda beach did little to dampen the party at the Hotel Riu Republica in Punta Cana
The partying doesn’t stop for spring breakers despite the plethora of police, soldiers and somber-faced officials swarming the resort to search for missing med student Sudiksha Konanki
Sudiksha, 20, is a student at the University of Pittsburgh who was last seen along the beach in the early morning hours on March 6
‘We won’t stop working. We are doing everything in our power to find her,’ vowed Colonel Deigo Pesqueira, spokesman for the National Police.
The sight of dozens of uniformed cops and soldiers massing on the Arena Gorda beach did little to dampen the revelry at the all-inclusive Riu Republica mega-resort, where it was party time as usual on Tuesday.
Hundreds of spring breakers lounged on sunbeds and sipped rum cocktails even as choppers crisscrossed the cloudless sky in the forlorn search for Sudiksha.
Several half-dressed revelers made their way through the throng of rescuers, clutching beers and casually chatting as exhausted police divers pulled off their wetsuits.
Others seemed oblivious to the drama unfolding around them as they sizzled in the 86-degree heat or ordered ice-cold bottles of President Pilsner at the swim-up bar.
‘It’s super strange,’ remarked Nolan Rosenblum, a 20-year-old Ohio State student enjoying a week-long vacation in Punta Cana with college pals.
‘There are helicopters and soldiers walking around. But it’s just become a sub-plot for most of the people here. We are not going to let it spoil our trip.’
The ‘adults only’ – 18 and up – Riu Republica complex spans three towers and 1,300 rooms, multiple pools, waterslides, 10 bars and nine restaurants offering gourmet cuisine from Italy, Spain, India and Asia.
But it’s the promise of unlimited round-the-clock beer and liquor, foam parties and VIP access to the resort’s pumping nightclub, Pacha, that’s perhaps the biggest draw for young Americans.
Hundreds of spring breakers lounged on sunbeds and sipped rum cocktails even as choppers crisscrossed the cloudless sky in the forlorn search for Sudiksha
A sign on the beach saying there’s no lifeguard posted at the beach. Concerned officials gather under the shade for a break in their search efforts while spring breakers run into the water to cool down
DailyMail.com accompanied officers from the National Police as they trawled a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) stretch of coast by motorboat Tuesday afternoon to search for any signs of her
Several half-dressed revelers made their way into the turquoise water as rescuers continued their search down the beach
One college student told DailyMail.com that Sudiksha’s disappearance had become a ‘sub-plot for most of the people here’ and that he wasn’t going to let it ‘spoil our trip’
Drinking is legal from age 18 in the Dominican Republic, however, the Riu Republica’s website insists it has a zero-tolerance policy for wild spring break antics.
‘Guests who cause disturbances to other guests may be evicted from the property,’ it warns.
‘Room parties are not allowed. During their stay, spring breakers must comply with the safety protocols established by both the hotel and the Government.’
Jack, a 21-year-old American student who declined to give his full name, said he felt no less safe in the Dominican Republic than he would at an American resort.
‘Before I came my grandparents warned me, it’s not the US, it may feel safe but you need to have your wits about you,’ he told DailyMail.com.
‘But the reality is, this could have happened in Miami, Mexico or Europe. When too much alcohol is involved, people make bad decisions.’
Sudiksha, an Indian national who emigrated to the US as a young child, was enjoying a Caribbean getaway with five female college friends when she was reported missing on Thursday.
The pre-med student was seen on hotel CCTV heading towards the beach at 4.15am with her gal pals and two male revelers, one looking unsteady on his feet in the grainy footage leaked to local TV.
Others seemed oblivious to the drama unfolding around them as they sizzled in the 86-degree heat or ordered ice-cold bottles of President Pilsner at the swim-up bar
Sudiksha was enjoying a Caribbean getaway with five female college friends when she was reported missing on Thursday. She was seen on hotel CCTV heading towards the beach at 4.15am with her gal pals and two male revelers
The second male, seen draping his arm around Sudiksha, was identified by police sources as Joshu Riibe, 24. He was the last known person to be with her, saying they waded in the water and he passed out on the beach after puking – he entered back into the hotel at 9.55am
Riibe is not currently considered a suspect and is ‘cooperating’ with investigators, according to police sources
The second male, seen draping his arm around Loudoun County, VA. resident Sudiksha, was identified by police sources as Joshu Riibe, 24, a former Iowa high school wrestling champion.
Powerfully built Riibe was the last person to see her and has told cops they waded into the water together before he returned to the beach, threw up and fell asleep. He says he has no recollection of where she went.
Riibe is still in Punta Cana and he’s due to be questioned again Wednesday, along with hotel staffers and guests who may have caught a glimpse of the pair after Sudiksha’s friends headed back to the hotel at 5.55am.
Riibe, who was seen walking back inside alone at 9.55am, is not currently considered a suspect and is ‘cooperating’ with investigators, according to police sources.
Sudiksha’s disappearance coincided with a power outage that knocked out AC units and prompted multiple guests to head out to the beach to escape the stifling heat, according to Dominican media.
‘As part of this process, the [National Police] are re-interviewing targeted individuals who were in the victim’s proximity at the time of her disappearance,’ police said in a press release.
‘This includes hotel employees where Konanki and her companions were staying, with the goal of gathering information to corroborate her movements, interactions and any relevant details for the investigation.’
Sudiksha’s distraught parents Subbarayudu and Sreedevi say they last heard from her during an 8pm phone call on the evening of March 5.
Exhausted divers after their search and rescue operation in the ocean’s turquoise waters. The theory that’s widely being pushed out is Sudiksha drowned
But her parents have begged authorities to widen the search zone and take seriously the idea that she was kidnapped since her body hasn’t resurfaced on the beach
They have begged authorities to widen the search zone and to take seriously the possibility that Sudiksha didn’t drown but was instead kidnapped.
‘It’s four days, and if she was in water, she would likely have been strewn to shore,’ Subbarayudu wrote in a statement to police.
‘She’s not found, so we’re asking them to investigate multiple options, like kidnapping or abduction.’
When contacted by DailyMail.com, Riibe’s relatives described him as a ‘good kid’ who focuses on his studies. He lives in Rock Rapids, Iowa and is a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
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