Police search for missing Chinese girl

Yukun Jia

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- Police were combing the San Francisco International Airport on Friday for a missing a 12-year-old girl from China.

The girl, Yukun Jia, became separated from a youth tour group that was spending Thursday in San Francisco before heading to Space Camp at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said both the State Department and the FBI were notified Thursday night.

On Friday afternoon, a spokeswoman in the office of California Gov. Gray Davis told CNN that earlier statements that the girl had defected have proved incorrect.

A spokeswoman for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said the confusion was probably a result of the cancellation of the Amber Alert system, a statewide alert issued when children are abducted.

"The Amber Alert system was canceled," spokeswoman Bronwyn Hogan said. "There were not enough specifics to use the system effectively. ... With the cancellation of the Amber Alert system, it's easy to assume the missing person was found."

The tour group, Futon Inc. said the contingent was comprised of 27 young people from Beijing and six teachers. Police said the group arrived at San Francisco International Airport at 2 p.m. PDT Thursday, went through customs and walked to a waiting bus.

Before the girl got on the bus she asked to use the restroom. An adult tour guide told police the girl's request was refused and she was told to get on the bus.

No head count was taken before the bus departed for an hour-long tour of the Stanford University campus just south of the airport. A head count was taken as the bus was departing Stanford about 4 p.m. PT and the girl could not be found.

The girl is described as 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighing 110 pounds. She was wearing a yellow Space Camp T-shirt and white pants with a blue stripe. Authorities said she speaks very little English.

Tour group operators told police the girl has no family in the San Francisco area.

Police at the airport began searching about 5 p.m. PDT and continue to do so. In addition, Ratti said police agencies in the area have been notified. Stanford University police said they were not involved in the search.

Gina Chen, a Futon spokeswoman in San Francisco, said the group will continue to Huntsville while authorities look for the missing girl in San Francisco.

An official at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center said the group is to arrive Saturday and begin participating Sunday in a five-night, six-day program that includes simulated Space Shuttle missions, training simulators, rocket building and launches, and lectures.

There is no academic requirement for attendance other than a strong interest in math, science, and space.

Futon brought a similar group to the camp last August without incident.

A spokesman for the camp, Al Whitaker, said there is little officials there can do but will cooperate if asked.