A cruise ship visitor to the eastern Caribbean island of St. Kitts and Nevis was found dead on Monday morning, days after going missing during a hike in the Mount Liamuiga mountain range, local authorities said.
Wang Zyuan, a Chinese citizen, was last seen on the hike trail at around 10 a.m. on May 27. He was reported to be travelling alone, without a guide at the time of his disappearance. He was described as wearing a black outfit with red shoes.
Around 2 p.m. on the same day, 34-year-old Zyuan called emergency services via 911 to report that he was “lost” in the mountains. Contact with him was lost after the call was placed, authorities said in a social media post.
“A joint search and rescue team was immediately mobilised and conducted operations through the evening of May 27,” the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force said.
An “extensive wide-area search” operation to locate the Chinese national was conducted in the following days with the help of search crews and volunteers. By Day 4 of the search operation, Zyuan had still not been located.
Zyuan’s body was found by searchers on the fifth day, authorities announced Monday evening.
“The Force extends its heartfelt condolences to Mr. Wang’s family, friends, and associates during this painful time,” the authorities said in a social media post. “We respectfully ask the public to refrain from speculation and to rely only on official sources for accurate information as this matter proceeds.”
Police are still investigating the incident and detailed information surrounding Zyuan’s death has not been released.
Mount Liamuiga is a more than 1,156-metre-high dormant stratovolcano forming the northwest section of St. Kitts, with the highest peak located in the eastern Caribbean.
The cruise ship company Royal Caribbean told USA Today in a statement that Zyuan worked for the company. However, it did not provide details about his exact position aboard the cruise ship.
“We are saddened to learn a crew member has passed away,” the statement provided to USA Today said. “We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the local authorities and rescue teams, who worked tirelessly over the past several days.”
Royal Caribbean – a cruiseline that operates in the Caribbean – features a warning for passengers considering the hike on its website, saying that the Mount Liamuiga volcano hike is “extremely strenuous,” and not recommended for people suffering from pre-existing cardiac, respiratory, or orthopedic medical conditions. It also asks passengers to take their fitness level into consideration before deciding whether to partake in the six-mile (9.7-kilometre) hike.
