UPDATED: Tragic News for Family of Huntington Woods Native In Philadelphia Amtrak Derailment

» Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts.

This story has been updated:

The family of Former Huntington Woods resident Rachel Jacobs received word Wednesday that she was among seven people killed in a massive Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia the day before.

Jacobs, 39, was commuting to her home in Manhattan from Philadelphia, where she’s CEO of the online educational firm ApprenNet, when the train – estimated to be traveling at 106 mph – left the tracks, the Detroit Free Press reports. Another 200 passengers were injured.

The Jacobs family asked for privacy in a statement:

“This is an unthinkable tragedyRachel was a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, wife and friend. She was devoted to her family, her community and the pursuit of social justice. We cannot imagine life without her. We respectfully ask for privacy so that we can begin the process of grieving.”

According to her LinkedIn profile, Jacobs was a graduate of Swarthmore College and Columbia Business College. She lived in Manhattan with her husband and 2-year-old child, but remained loyal to Detroit.

Five years ago, she founded Detroit Nation, described on the LinkedIn profile as “a movement of over 7000 current and former Detroiters to channel the energy of the Detroit expat community to support economic development and cultural innovation in our hometown.”

Among other accomplishments, the organization hosted a Detroit Symphony Orchestra concert at Carnegie Hall, its first appearance there in 17 years; provided pro bono consulting service to more than a dozen grassroots entrepreneurs; and helped convince Detroit expts to return to the city to see how entrepreneurs, artists and community organizers are contributing to revitalization.

The Michigan League for Public Policy, where Jacobs’ mother, former state senator Gilda jacobs, is CEO, issued a statement offering condolences to the family:

“Rachel was loved and cherished by the entire family, her husband, her two-year-old son, friends and co-workers.

Patch’s earlier report:

An Oakland County resident is among those missing in a massive Amtrak train derailment in Philadelphia.

Rachel Jacobs, who grew up in Huntington Woods, was on board Amtrak Train 188 when it derailed in Port RIchmond Tuesday according to the social media account of ApprenNet, where she is the CEO.

The train was carrying 238 passengers and five crew members when it left the track soon after 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, throwing all seven cars into disarray along the busy New York-Philadelphia corridor. At least seven people are dead, and dozens others have been injured.

The speed of the Amtrak train going into the curve at Frankford Junction in Philadelphia may have been a factor in the derailment, according to information released Wednesday.

The train was traveling faster than 100 mph going into the Port Richmond turn that has a 50 mph speed limit, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed on Twitter.

In Michigan, Jacobs’ mother, Michigan League for Public Policy CEO Gilda Jacobs, and others are anxiously awaiting word on the 39-year-old wife and mother of a 2-year-old, who commuted from her home in Manhattan twice a week to lead the company that develops learning technology.

Stacey Range Messina, a spokeswoman for Michigan League for Public Policy, told the Detroit Free Press the Jacobs family has few answers.

“We really don’t know a whole lot right now. She’s missing. Her parents, along with Rachel’s husband, are anxiously awaiting word, and are hopeful she will be found safe,” Messina said.

During a press conference Wednesday morning, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said that not every passenger has been accounted for in the aftermath of the accident.

Emergency personnel have been working to match up the manifest with passengers who have been taken to area hospitals, purchased a ticket but did not board or walked away from the scene and found other transportation.

Six people have been confirmed dead, including a student from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis.

Related links:

• UPDATE: ‘Black Box’ Recovered After 6 Killed, 146 Injured In Amtrak Train Derailment In Pennsylvania
• Philly CEO Reported Missing from Amtrak Derailment
• UPDATE: Naval Academy Midshipman Killed in Amtrak Crash
• South Jersey Man Among Dead In Amtrak Train Derailment

(Patch editor James Boyle contributed to this report.)