Heikki Rantakari is a professor at the University of Rochester with reports claiming he’s dead
Find out more about him.
On 26 October 2023, Heikki Rantakari, a 42-year-old University of Rochester economics professor, went missing, raising worries from the local authorities over his safety.
Rantakari, a well-respected academic, was scheduled to teach a class on campus but failed to appear, raising alarm among his colleagues and students. His last known sighting was on 20 October 2023, when he checked into an Airbnb located in the 1000 block of Exchange St. in Rochester. Sadly, he was reported missing the next morning when he failed to appear for his planned class.
Is Heikki Rantakari alive or dead as University of Rochester professor goes missing after falling in river
BREAKING: police say Heikki Rantakari, a missing U of R professor, was seen on footage falling off the pedestrian bridge on Bragdon Pl. into the Genesee River.
No foul-play is suspected.
The expansive search continues. #roc pic.twitter.com/TVfCbrH4xM— Melanie Higgins (@MHigginsTV) October 27, 2023
NEW: Family of missing @UofR professor, Heikki Rantakari, says: "If anyone may have seen him or spoken to him, any information from the public regarding his welfare or whereabouts is greatly needed to help find him ASAP. Any information can be directed to Rochester Police Dept.… pic.twitter.com/E9JlqpVYco
— Jackie Napier (@TheJackieNapier) October 24, 2023
When he failed to appear for his lesson on Saturday, worries increased. Captain Greg Bello of the Rochester Police Department acknowledged the uniqueness of the situation and mentioned Rantakari’s track record of carrying out his teaching duties.
The Rochester Police Department is actively looking for Heikki Rantakari because they think he could be in danger. In addition to his picture, the department published a notice on his disappearance, urging anybody with information to get in touch.
Additionally, investigators have searched the area around Rantakari’s Airbnb, which is close to the campus and accessible by foot. Captain Bello of the Rochester Police Department attested to his attendance at the Airbnb, but it’s unclear what happened next.
Rochester police believe a missing university professor fell into the Genesee River on the day he disappeared but after two days of searching the river and the surrounding area using scuba units, drones and aviation technology, Heikki Rantakari’s body still has not been recovered, RPD said in a news release Friday. While no foul play is suspected, Heikki is believed to be dead.
Since then, he has become the talk of the town with many people trying to find out more about him. So, here’s what we know about him:
Who is Heikki Rantakari?
Heikki Rantakari is a renowned American educator. He has been in the news because he went missing on 26 October 2023 after being last spotted in an Airbnb near Rochester.
He is currently based in the Boston region. After completing his schooling, he did his BSc in economics from LSE. Later on, he did PhD in economics from MIT.
Heikki Rantakari is an associate professor in the management and economics department at the prestigious Simon Business School at the University of Rochester. Additionally, Rantakari is also a visiting associate professor of applied economics at the renowned Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In a statement provided to News 8 WROC, Rantakari’s family detailed his physical characteristics, stressing that he weighs around 180 pounds, has an average build, speaks with a Finnish accent, is 5 feet 11 inches tall, and has blue eyes and blonde hair.
He is currently 42 years old.
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