Six members of the Burundi robotics team are missing in Washington, D.C., after competing in the FIRST Global Challenge competition this week, according to CBS News.
The missing teenagers traveled to the United States from the East African country to compete in the international robotics competition attended by teams from more than 150 nations. They were last seen Tuesday night around the time of the day’s final matches.
Competition organizers learned of the missing team members, including two 17-year-old girls and four boys ages 16 to 18, after their team mentor was unable to locate them. FIRST Global President then alerted the police.
On Wednesday, police tweeted missing persons fliers.
They went missing 7/18. Have info? Call #MPD at 202-727-9099/ text 50411. Photos can be found here: https://t.co/Z9xbN2gtNp #MissingPerson pic.twitter.com/hg1bfbGwtd
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) July 20, 2017
The team mentor told police that he could not locate the team members shortly after the competition and does not know where they went, reports CBS News. Police canvassed the area where the robotics competition took place as well as attempting to contact one missing teen’s uncle to no avail.
“Security of the students is of paramount importance to FIRST Global,” said organizers in a statement. “FIRST Global ensures that all students get to their dormitories after the daily competition by providing safe transportation to the students staying at Trinity Washington University who are always to be under close supervision of their adult mentor and are advised not to leave the premises unaccompanied by the mentor.”
FIRST Global Challenge is a robotics competition designed to promote STEM career paths among high school students. The event previously drew media attention when a team of girls from Afghanistan got rejected for U.S. visas, prompting President Trump to intervene on their behalf.
Police continue to search for the missing Burundi team members.