A cruise ship employee who went missing while hiking alone on a Caribbean island has been found dead after a days-long search, authorities said.
Wang Zyuan, 33, a Chinese national, disappeared on May 27 while hiking the Mount Liamuiga trail in St. Kitts and Nevis. He was found dead on June 1, according to the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.
Authorities did not immediately release a cause of death.
“Detailed information is not yet available, and investigations into the circumstances are ongoing,” police said in a Facebook post.
Zyuan was last seen around 10 a.m. local time on May 27 on the Mount Liamuiga hiking trail. Police said he was traveling alone and did not have a guide at the time.
Around 2 p.m. that same day, Zyuan contacted emergency services and reported that he was lost in the Mount Liamuiga Mountains.
At some point, communication with him was cut off.
A search effort was launched, and crews spent several days looking for him before his body was found on June 1.
Police have asked the public not to speculate about what happened while the investigation continues.
The department urged people to “refrain from speculation and to rely only on official sources for accurate information as this matter proceeds.”
Royal Caribbean later confirmed that Zyuan was one of its employees.
“We are saddened to learn a crew member has passed away,” the cruise line said in a statement to USA TODAY. “We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the local authorities and rescue teams, who worked tirelessly over the past several days.”
Mount Liamuiga is a dormant volcano on the island of St. Kitts. Its peak rises 3,793 feet, making it one of the island’s most famous but challenging natural landmarks.
The trail is known for its thick jungle terrain, muddy paths and steep sections. Hiking site AllTrails describes it as “more of a jungle climb than a hike” and warns that it is “not for the faint of heart.”
The site also cautions that the path can be muddy, uneven and easy to lose.
“Be warned, there are numerous areas where you will need to climb steep slopes using the slippery roots of trees as a sort of makeshift ladder,” the hiking site says.
The discovery has brought a tragic end to a search that began with a desperate emergency call from a man lost in the mountains.
Now, investigators are working to determine exactly what happened after Zyuan vanished on the trail.
