Organizers of an international robotics competition in the US capital believe the disappearance of six teens from Burundi may have been “self-initiated.”
As the competition was wrapping up Tuesday, their chaperone discovered his kids were missing. He looked in the college dorms where the six teens - ages 16 to 18 - had been staying. Their bags were packed and gone. Later two of the teens were spotted crossing into Canada, Associated Press reported.
Police say they do not expect any foul play.
A member of the Burundi-American community says he has little doubt the teens are seeking asylum, though he emphasized he had no direct knowledge of the situation.
Students from Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan also attending the educational event.
However, the team of girl robotics students from Afghanistan were previously blocked from entering the competition due to the ongoing throttling of people entering the US from mainly Muslim countries.
After a public outcry in international media, US President Donald Trump had to step in to give them clearance to enter America.
Due to ongoing sanctions against Iran, an American high school built a robot on behalf of the Iranian team, which they used during the competition.
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