NUS PhD student on attachment in France missing; NUS appeals for information

A PhD student from the Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA) programme at the National University of Singapore has gone missing and the university is appealing for information on his whereabouts. 

Cui Luchao, 27, has been on a research attachment at the Institut de Chimie Moleculaire de I'Universite de Bourgogne (ICMUB) in Dijon, France, since 4 May. 

As part of his attachment, Mr Cui had participated in the International Symposium on Homogeneous Catalysis in Toulouse from 9 to 13 July. He was last seen by ICMUB staff at the symposium in Toulouse on 12 July. 

Mr Cui was due to return to ICMUB in Dijon on 14 July to continue with his research. Telephone calls made by ICMUB and SMA faculty to Mr Cui's mobile phone have gone unanswered. 

However, the ICMUB has informed SMA that CCTV footage obtained by the French authorities from the hostel he had been staying in in Toulouse showed Mr Cui making a call on his mobile phone on 17 July within hostel grounds. 

Mr Cui was to have returned to Singapore on 29 July, but did not board the flight out of Paris. 

NUS Spokesperson said the French authorities are investigating this matter. SMA faculty and administrators remain in close contact with Mr Cui's family, and are providing them with the necessary assistance during this difficult time. 

NUS Spokesperson said a missing persons report has also been filed in both France and Singapore respectively. 

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr Cui can reach Juliana Chai at the Singapore-MIT Alliance at NUS at tel: (65) 6516 1347 and email:smaccy@nus.edu.sg.