Theories abound as to disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki, with YouTube sleuths trying to crack the case … after DR cops dropped the ball

A viral video on social media is being circulated with the claim that it shows the moment University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki drowned. The clip shows a woman being pulled into the ocean by surging waves. In the video, a man and a woman can be seen in knee-deep water before crashing waves knock them over, and then carry the woman out of sight as the man tries to rescue her.

Konanki, 20, an Indian-origin woman, vanished while on a spring break holiday in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. She was last seen at the Riu Republica Resort beach on March 6 around 4:50 am.

Does the viral video show Sudiksha Konanki drowning?

The clip appears to depict the kind of scenario Joshua Riibe, the person last seen with Konanki, described when he was previously interrogated by authorities. However, he had claimed he saved Konanki from drowning and soon passed out after ingesting salt water.

The video is being circulated with a false narrative. AFP found after reverse image searches that the video is months-old, and shows a different man and woman in Sochi, Russia. The outlet reported that according to Russian media outlets, the woman was swept away on June 16, 2024, at Riviera Beach in the resort city along the Black Sea. Her body was found days later.