A viral video circulating on social media is falsely being linked to the drowning incident of University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki. The footage, which shows a woman being swept away by strong waves, is being misrepresented as the moment Konanki drowned.Does the Viral Video Show Sudiksha Konanki’s Drowning?
The video depicts a man and a woman standing in knee-deep water before powerful waves knock them over. The woman is then pulled out of sight, while the man desperately tries to save her. Many online users claim this matches the description given by Joshua Riibe, the person last seen with Konanki, who previously told authorities that he had saved her from drowning before passing out from ingesting saltwater.
However, this claim is false.
Origin of the Viral Video
A fact-check by AFP using reverse image searches confirmed that the video is months old and is unrelated to Sudiksha Konanki’s case. The footage actually shows a different drowning incident that occurred on June 16, 2024, at Riviera Beach in Sochi, Russia. Reports from Russian media outlets confirm that the woman seen in the video was swept away into the Black Sea, and her body was recovered days later.
Additionally, a comparison of locations using Google Maps and Russia’s Yandex Maps shows that the coastline in the viral video matches Riviera Beach, not the Dominican Republic, where Konanki tragically disappeared.
The Importance of Fact-Checking Viral Content
False claims and misleading narratives can spread rapidly on social media, often distorting facts and causing unnecessary speculation. While Konanki’s case remains a tragic incident, it is crucial to verify information before sharing.
This viral video is not related to Sudiksha Konanki’s drowning and should not be mistaken as evidence in the ongoing discussions surrounding her case.
