Teens From African Robotics Team Likely Meant To Vanish: Reports

WASHINGTON, DC — It's unclear what will happen to the two teenagers from the Burundi robotics team who were seen crossing into Canada Thursday. Immigration officials have not commented on whether the teens were seeking asylum from their home country, but police don't suspect foul play.

Six teenagers from the Burundi robotics team who came to D.C. to compete in an international competition disappeared Thursday, according to police. Two of the teens were spotted crossing into Canada, authorities said.

Police say they don't suspect foul play with any of the missing teens. According to reports, event organizers said their disappearance may have been "self-initiated."

The team was competing at the FIRST Global Challenge robotics competition, which featured hundreds of youths from 157 nations worldwide at Constitution Hall in Northwest — just a stone's throw from the White House. Burundi is a small country in east Africa.

According to WTOP, Canadian and U.S. immigration officials have been reluctant to discuss what will happen to the students, or if they sought asylum from Burundi. Canadian officials have not said if the teens entered the country illegally or through an official entry point.

See Related: Teens From African Robotics Team Disappear In DC

A spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which receives asylum applications, told WTOP the agency does not comment on whether specific people are seeking asylum.

The missing teens are between the ages of 16 and 18, and the group includes four boys and two girls.

“FIRST Global learned the adult mentor of Team Burundi is unable to find the group of six students of the team who participated in the 2017 FIRST Global Challenge,” according to a statement from an organization spokesman early Thursday, as reported by the Post.

Police posted the following descriptions of the missing teens, all of whom are black: Richard Irakoze, 18, male, dark complexion, 5-foot-11, 140 pounds; Kevin Sabumukiza, 17, male, medium complexion, 6-foot-4, 160 pounds; Nice Munezero, 17, female, dark complexion, 5-foot-7, 140 pounds; Aristide Irambona, 18, male, dark complexion, 5-foot-6, 130 pounds; Don Ingabire, 16, male, medium complexion, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds; Audrey Mwamikazi, 17, female, dark complexion, 5-foot-3, 130 pounds.

They were last seen in the 1700 block of D Street NW, which is the location of Constitution Hall. Mwamikazi and Ingabire were the ones spotted crossing into Canada, authorities say.

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

Image via D.C. Police