Watch CBS News

USC Grad May Be Among Passengers Aboard Missing Malaysia Jet

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A former student of the University of Southern California is possibly among the 239 people aboard a Malaysia Airlines jet that disappeared a week ago Friday.

An email from Qiao Xing's former professor in the Petroleum Engineering department at USC went out last week to department faculty, saying that Xing was likely on the missing flight. Also, the name "Qiao Xing" is listed on the plane's passenger manifest, according to CBS2's Kristine Lazar.

The 27-year-old Xing, a Chinese national, has been working for Shell Oil in Beijing, which was the plane's destination.

Xing, who goes by her American name Joy, earned her master's degree in petroleum engineering in 2012.

A fellow engineering student posted on his Facebook page, "I hope it is really not you! Pray for my senior colleague sister Joy Xing! Hope everyone is safe on MH370!"

A USC student and Chinese national, who met Xing in 2012, told CBS2 via email that Xing is a very optimistic, hard-working, and very helpful person. He said, "Whenever I turned to her for any help, she never hesitated."

The university has not released an official statement to date.

Meanwhile, students on campus were shocked to learn that one of their own may likely be on board.

"It could just as easily been one of us. Me or one of my friends so it's not something I even want to think about. It's so disturbing," one student told Lazar.

The whereabouts of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 remain a mystery.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.