College spring break is here with many travelers leaving the country. FBI warns people to be aware of surroundings.
The FBI has increased travel warnings for those heading abroad for spring break.
This comes after a student disappeared in Punta Cana.
We spoke with Kenneth Gray, a lecturer at the University of New Haven, about the increase in alerts from the FBI.
“Two weeks ago, a student down in the Dominican Republic disappeared,” Gray said.
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Officials said Sudiksha Konaki, a 20-year-old student at the University of Pittsburgh, went to the Dominican Republic for spring break on March 3.
She was last seen around 4:15 in the morning on March 6 and has not been heard from since then.
Some popular destinations on the FBI travel list include the Caribbean and Mexico.
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Gray encourages anyone traveling abroad, not just students, to check the State Department advisory list before leaving.
“There's a whole bunch of countries on there that they are providing warnings about for various reasons," Gray said. "There may be unrest in their country. It may be a crime in their country.”
Gabriella Fernandez and her boyfriend Julien Rivas just returned from Puerto Rico on spring break.
They told us while they felt safe in Puerto Rico, it was a different story when they visited Gabriella’s family in the Dominican Republic.
“I'm originally from the Dominican. You have to be a lot more on guard walking through the streets,” Fernandez said.
“I was with her, sisters, and mothers, so I felt like I needed to be observant when I was with them, making sure everyone was safe," Rivas said.
We spoke with Jennifer Wethje, a professor in the School of Nursing at Quinnipiac University.
“You always want family members to be able to get in touch with you or a friend that you're with," Wethje said. "Don't ever travel alone."
Wethje suggests sharing your location with people you trust.
"Families should have codes with their kids so they know it's a safe person. If somebody tries to encourage a child to get in a car or something like that," Wethje said.
For the latest and most up-to-date travel advisories, go to travel.state.gov.
