(CNN) -- The United States is trying to make contact with two American journalists who Syrian officials said were arrested after illegally crossing into Syria, a U.S. State Department official said Thursday.

"We were informed by the Syrian government that they did have these two individuals in custody and that they were safe," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

"We are seeking consular access to them, and I would expect that in the very near future we will have consular access to them."

Syrian officials on Thursday summoned a senior U.S. diplomat, informing her that the Americans were arrested for illegally entering Syria with the help of a smuggler, a Syrian foreign ministry statement said.

Journalists Holli Chmela, 27, and Taylor Luck, 23, had not been heard from since October 1 when they left Beirut, Lebanon, where they were vacationing.

Missing American journalists held in Syria - CNN.com

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