Even so, the St. Cloud State University pupil has been "confined" to the edifice since the probe began, the instrumentality steadfast representing him told NBC News successful an email March 15.

"His passport has been confiscated," the connection continued. "He is permanently escorted by the constabulary anyplace helium goes. So no, helium is not escaped to leave."

Dominican National Police declined to corroborate to the outlet whether Riibe's passport was confiscated.

Riibe's household shared a connection with the outlet expressing their sympathy with Konanki's household and defending Riibe.

"Joshua Riibe is profoundly dismayed by her disappearance and has afloat cooperated successful the hunt and clarification of the facts from the precise beginning," the connection said. "We admit that this is simply a analyzable and achy concern for each parties involved, and we spot that the probe volition beryllium conducted with transparency and justice."

"Our lone involvement is that owed process beryllium respected and that actions beryllium taken with the fairness that the concern requires," it concluded. "We inquire everyone to commune that Sudiksha beryllium recovered and returned location to her family."

Riibe said successful his interrogation with Dominican authorities viewed by E! News that his friend, Konanki and her 5 friends had gotten shots astatine the barroom earlier heading to the beach, wherever helium and Konanki, 20, were “talking and kissing a little” successful "waist-deep water.”

He recalled a "big wave" crashed implicit them and swept them into the current, and aft surfacing, the brace "tried to telephone for help, but determination was nary 1 there."  

"When I yet reached the crushed connected the beach, I pulled her successful beforehand of me," Riibe, who said helium swam them some to the shore, told investigators. "She went to stitchery her belongings since the oversea had moved us. She wasn't retired of the water, arsenic it was up to our knees."

"She was walking astatine an space successful the water," helium added. "The past clip I saw her, I asked if she was OK. I didn't perceive her reply due to the fact that I started vomiting each the seawater I'd swallowed."

Riibe said helium yet fell dormant connected a adjacent formation seat and believed Konanki returned to her edifice room. "My person asked maine if I knew wherever the miss was," helium said. "I told him I thought she had gone to her room, and helium told maine she ne'er returned."

While a assemblage hasn't been recovered, 3 Dominican officials adjacent to the probe told ABC News they judge Konanki died by drowning. However, Loudon County Sheriff Mike Chapman emphasized that it is "way excessively premature" to marque that conclusion. 

"There has been nary sighting of her successful immoderate capableness here," helium explained connected NewsNation's Banfield March 10. "So, it's precise important that we spell done each this similar we bash immoderate elaborate investigation. We are moving intimately with Dominican authorities."

Read connected to larn much astir Konanki's disappearance. 

(E! News and NBC News are portion of the NBCUniversal family.)