Missing teenage exchange students from Morocco found safe and well say police

Two teenage girls from Morocco who were reported missing after last being seen leaving their hostel on the evening of Tuesday, January 28, were found on Monday.

The Met Police did not proactively release the information, but in response to a request for an update today, a force spokeswoman said: "The girls were found safe and well on Monday."

The force first made a public appeal for information on Thursday, January 30.

Douae, 14, (above right) and Houda, 15, (above left) were last seen leaving the hostel they were staying at in Tavistock Place, WC1 at around 8:30pm on Tuesday, 28 January.

Both girls had arrived in London on Saturday, 25 January for a week-long stay as part of a student exchange programme run by an independent company. They were due to return to Morocco on 1 February.

The programme the girls are on is not attached to a specific school and is run by a private company.

Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Kaur from the Central North Command Unit said: “We are appealing for any information about Douae and Houda’s whereabouts. They have travelled from Morocco and are in a city and country that is not familiar to them, so the longer they remain missing then the greater our concern for their welfare is.

“A team of detectives is working tirelessly to locate them and we are liaising with the Moroccan embassy and the company who organised the visit to ensure their families in Morocco are kept updated with any developments.”