By BOUBACAR BARRY

Family and friends are still hoping to find BYU student David Sneddon, who has been missing in China for a month.

Hundreds of Chinese police officers are looking in Southwestern China for Sneddon, a Chinese major and Korean minor from Providence, Cache County, who has not contacted his family since Aug. 10. Sneddon went to China this summer with friends to work on his language skills at a Beijing university.

After completing his studies in Beijing, Sneddon toured China. On Aug. 10, he sent an e-mail to his mother telling her he was headed towards Tiger Leaping Gorge in Western China, an area known equally for its beauty and danger. He was planning on going to the border of Tibet. He has not been heard from since.

The family started to worry when they didn't hear from him for a few days. However, they decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and wait for future contacts.

Reed Peterson, a family friend and spokesman, said Sneddon might have missed a bus or was stuck in a province without means of contacting anyone.

Sneddon used to backpack the Wind River Mountains with his family when they lived in Nebraska and is a very capable hiker, Petersen said. Tiger Leaping Gorge is similar to Zion National Park and other recreational sights in Utah, Petersen said, where one can go off the path and get into trouble.

The family knew something was wrong when Sneddon missed a business meeting in Korea on Aug. 25 and didn't show up for school on Aug. 30.

"David just doesn't miss school," Peterson said.

The family wants as much information as possible. Sneddon's father Roy and two of his brothers, Michael and James, are in China to find any clues and leads on his whereabouts. But at this point, information is scarce. His bag was still at the inn by the gorge where he was staying. He left it there so he could travel light.

Since he was near the Tibetan border, the thought initially crossed the family's mind that he may have been abducted. But the thought was quickly squashed when the family received no ransom. Peterson also said Sneddon is a poor college student like most students and he had little money on him. Besides, there has been no movement on his bank account.

"I don't know what people are thinking, but from what I know from the Chinese people I met, some sort of mishap probably happened to him," said Christina Felt, a BYU graduate in elementary education. "I'd be surprised if a Chinese person had done anything to him."

The Chinese people love foreigners and take any opportunity they have to speak with them, she said.

Sneddon, who served his mission in Korea, is also fluent in Mandarin. He had been working at Multiling Corp., a local translation company, as a sales person covering North America and Korea. The Aug. 25 meeting was with his brother Michael, the president of Multiling.

Matt Christensen, associate professor of Chinese, said Sneddon is a good student.

Christensen was informed of Sneddon's disappearance soon after he missed his business appointment in Korea. He informed BYU the first week of school and has been the liaison between the family and the university.

Shortly after he learned of Sneddon's disappearance, Christensen had George Bailey, a BYU student and friend who was with Sneddon until Aug. 9, write down everything he could remember. Christensen forwarded this information to the family and the proper authorities. He also passed along information regarding an earthquake in the Yunnan Province.

The U.S. Embassy is updating the family daily on the search efforts, Peterson said. Both the Chinese and American government have been very helpful.

"They are working like crazy to get information and doing all they possibly can do," Peterson said.

The family has tried to keep a low profile. They didn't want to step on any toes of the involved parties, he said.

"We want to keep the support of the Chinese government, and don't want them to feel pressured in any way," Peterson said.

"I always felt safe," said Felt, who was in China in July and August teaching English at Tsinghua University through a BYU teaching program.

Sneddon was not on a BYU sanctioned activity.

"We at BYU are certainly concerned for David and his family," said Michael Smart, BYU spokesman. "They are in our prayers, and we hope for a happy resolution soon. If there is any way BYU can help the family we definitely would do all that we can."

The family wishes to safeguard their privacy at this difficult time, Peterson said. They continue to hold hope in their hearts of finding Sneddon.

"This is a community where everybody pulls together," Peterson said. "There has been so much support. Please continue to keep David in your thoughts and prayers."

Sneddon's employer, Multiling, has set up a Web site in an effort to find David, www.multiling.com/finddavid.



Copyright Brigham Young University 12 Sep 2004