Trending Now - Authorities Investigate Disappearance of USF Doctoral Students
WHO:
CBS News - Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy are both from Bangladesh.
CBS News - Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27 years old, are the missing University of South Florida doctoral students.
WHAT:
ABC News - Limon was studying geography, environmental science, and policy, while Bristy was studying chemical engineering.
ABC News - A family friend contacted authorities on April 21st, 2026, after being unable to reach either Zamil Limon or Nahida Bristy.
ABC News - Limon and Bristy were discussing a potential future marriage but were focusing on completing their degrees first.
ABC News - A family friend contacted authorities on April 21st, 2026, after being unable to reach either Zamil Limon or Nahida Bristy.
ABC News - Limon was last seen at his home in a student apartment complex, while Bristy was last seen at a campus science building an hour later on April 16th, 2026.
ABC News - USF police investigators stated they do not believe Limon and Bristy were detained by federal immigration officers.
NBC News - The police are actively searching for the two students and have requested assistance from the public.
CBS News - The University of South Florida Police Department reported that the two students have gone missing.
Fox News - The police are seeking the public's help in finding the missing students.
WHERE:
CBS News - The students were last seen in the Tampa area, Florida.
WHEN:
CBS News - Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy were last seen on April 16th, 2026.
Fox News - The students have been missing for nearly a week as of April 22nd, 2026.
WHY:
ABC News - Friends and family described the lack of communication from Limon and Bristy as out of character, with Md. Rakibuzzaman stating, “It doesn’t feel normal.”
Fox News - Family members of the students described their disappearance as "very suspicious" and "unusual."
HOW:
ABC News - Zubaer Ahmed, Limon’s younger brother, stated that they last spoke three days before Limon's disappearance.
ABC News - Limon's thesis involves using generative AI to study Florida’s shrinking wetlands, as shared by his brother Zubaer Ahmed.
NY Post - USF Public Safety Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon stated, "It's a devastating situation," regarding the students' disappearance.
Fox News - USF Public Safety Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon stated, "Everybody internally is obviously very concerned, as we are concerned. It's not typical of their behavior, they're graduate students."
CBS News - Loved ones expressed concern, stating that the disappearances are out of character for the students.
(UPDATED April 23, 2026 21:15 UTC)
Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, who were studying geography, environmental science, and chemical engineering respectively, have been reported missing after a family friend contacted authorities on Tuesday, unable to reach them. Limon's younger brother, Zubaer Ahmed, mentioned that they last spoke three days prior to his brother's disappearance. The couple had been discussing a potential future marriage but were focused on completing their degrees first.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 19:20 UTC)
Authorities were contacted on Tuesday after a family friend was unable to reach Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, who were last seen on Thursday, with Limon at his student apartment and Bristy at a campus science building. Friends and family have expressed concern, noting that the lack of communication from both students is unusual, with one friend stating, “It doesn’t feel normal.” Limon, who is working on a thesis about using generative AI to study Florida’s shrinking wetlands, has raised alarms among those close to him.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 15:36 UTC)
Police are actively searching for two missing students from Bangladesh, Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, and have requested assistance from the public. USF Public Safety Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon described the situation as "devastating" in light of their disappearance. The search continues as authorities work to locate the students and ensure their safety.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 04:04 UTC)
A public information officer at the University of South Florida, Larry McKinnon, expressed deep concern regarding the behavior of graduate students, noting that it is not typical for them. He emphasized that everyone internally is very worried about the situation. This statement was made during a Fox News report at 4:04 UTC.
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(UPDATED April 22, 2026 23:14 UTC)
Zamil Limon and Nahida Bristy, both 27 years old and doctoral students at the University of South Florida, have been reported missing after last being seen on Thursday in the Tampa area. The University of South Florida Police Department is seeking the public's help in locating the students, with family members describing their disappearance as "very suspicious" and "unusual." Loved ones have expressed concern, noting that this behavior is out of character for both students, who have now been missing for nearly a week.