U.S. law enforcement authorities on Friday were seeking six teenagers from Burundi who went missing after a robotics competition in Washington, two of whom had been spotted crossing the border into Canada.
The teens, aged 16 to 18, were last seen Tuesday after the FIRST Global Robotics Challenge, Washington, D.C., police said, reports Reuters.
“We have been in touch with the Metropolitan Police Department; they told us that they are doing what they can to find those teens,” Benjamin Manirakiza, first counselor in the Burundi Embassy in Washington, said in a phone interview on Friday. “We have confidence in the capacity of the police.”
A Washington police spokeswoman said the teenagers’ disappearance was still under investigation on Friday, and declined to say what U.S. state they were spotted crossing from.
Police have said they do not believe foul play was involved.
Two of the teens – Audrey Mwamikazi, 17, and 16-year-old Don Ingabire – were spotted crossing the United States border into Canada. The other missing Burundians were named as Nice Munezero, 17; Kevin Sabumukiza, 17; Richard Irakoze, 18; and Aristide Irambona, 18.
