A 20-year-old college student who went missing last week after going for an early morning beach walk in the Dominican Republic is thought have drowned, local officials said, according to a new report.
University of Pittsburgh junior Sudiksha Konanki — a resident of Virginia’s Loudoun County — was last seen on Thursday, March 6, while walking on a beach at Riu Republica Resort in Punta Cana, according to the Dominican Civil Defense and a missing poster shared on social media.
She was on a spring break trip, the poster stated.
On Monday, March 10, ABC News reported that Konanki had been walking on the beach with six people on Wednesday, March 5, citing three Dominican officials involved in the investigation.
Most of the group then went back to the hotel but Konanki had stayed on the beach with one other person, ABC News added, according to a Dominican Republic investigative police report.
Konanki is believed to have subsequently drowned in the ocean after being caught by a big wave when she and the other person went for a swim.
However, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office is pushing back on that determination, indicating it may be premature and that “[there’s] no evidence to support that … at this time,” a spokesperson told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“The investigation is looking at everything from an accident to foul play, and interviews are ongoing, along with review of video and phone records,” the spokesperson said. “The best outcome is that she is found alive and well.”
Sudiksha Konanki
Friends who were with Konanki around the time she went missing have been questioned by police but no charges have been filed, ABC News reported, citing the officials.
Local outlet Listin Diario previously reported that she was last seen on video surveillance cameras around 4:15 a.m. local time on Thursday, March 6.
Konanki — an Indian citizen — was traveling with a group of six other female Pittsburgh students, including one other Loudoun County resident, a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office previously told PEOPLE in a statement.
Sudiksha Konanki
The search for Konanki began in the early hours of Saturday, March 8, according to the Dominican Civil Defense.
Authorities then resumed the search at 6 a.m. local time on Sunday, March 9, employing drones and helicopters from the country’s armed forces, the agency stated in an update on Instagram alongside footage of the beach search.
Authorities continue to search for missing college student Sudiksha Konanki
The LCSO has said that, upon being notified of Konanki’s disappearance on Thursday evening, the agency immediately followed up with federal and state law enforcement officials as well as contacts in the Dominican Republic.
The Embassy of India in the country has “taken the lead” on the ground, the agency said.
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Authorities continue to search for missing college student Sudiksha Konanki
A missing poster shared by someone who identified themselves as a friend of Konanki’s parents read, “We need your help to get the word out! If you are in the area or can help with the search, or if you have any information that could lead to her whereabouts, please reach out.”
“The more people who know, the better the chances we can bring her home safely,” the caption concluded.
The Dominican Republic National Police, the U.S. Department of State, the Embassy of India in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic and the LCSO didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.