An international student from Cal State Long Beach’s American Language Institute has gone missing.
Majid Khalid Shuhail, 19, went missing after he went to an airport Feb. 15 but didn’t board his flight, said Lynne Richmond, director of the institute. CSULB found out Feb. 19 that the student from United Arab Emirates was missing.
“Right now, we’re just hoping that he’s OK,” Richmond said. “Nobody knows much.”
Shuhail had only been a student at the institute for about two weeks, Richmond said.
According to GulfNews.com, a news Web site from Shuhail’s home country, “Shuhail informed the [United Arab Emirates] embassy that he wasn’t willing to study in the U.S. and that he was only fulfilling his father wishes.”
The Web site reports that Shuhail’s father verified that sentiment before flying to the United States to search for his son.
“He didn’t talk much; he is pretty quiet,” said Richmond, referring to Shuhail.
According to Richmond, Shuhail’s father is in the United States. She also said Shuhail had a roommate here, also a student of the institute, whom she thinks is helping the father with the search. The UAE embassy in Washington D.C. is assisting the father as well.
Richmond said the father’s reaction to his son’s status is understandable.
She said, “He’s 19 and his dad is wondering where he is, of course.”
This article was modified Feb. 24 at 11:13 a.m. to correct the date the student went to the airport.