US school to hold vigil for Chinese victims in Asiana plane crash

A Southern California school supposed to host a group of Chinese students aboard the crashed Asiana airliner will hold a prayer vigil for the two killed, the school said Sunday.

The service, to commemorate the two girls who lost their lives in the Saturday tragedy, will take place Thursday evening at the West Valley Christian School in West Hills, about 50 km northwest of downtown Los Angeles, the school announced on its website.

"To remember the two precious girls who died ... we invite you to a prayer vigil Thursday 7 p.m. at West Valley Christian Church and School," it said, encouraging host families, former host families and families from the community to come up with their help.

The two killed were among a 30-strong delegation from a middle school in China's eastern Zhejiang province expected to have a three-week study tour at the Southern California school.

But a tragic turn of event happened Saturday when their flight, Asiana Flight 214, crash-landed at San Francisco-Oakland International Airport.

School administrator Derek Swales told the ABC News that the school was giving the group space and waiting to hear from them.