The body of a cruise ship crew member who had been missing for five days was finally located in St. Kitts and Nevis, authorities confirmed.
Wang Zyuan, 33, disappeared while hiking the Mount Liamuiga hiking trail on May 27. He was last heard from around 2 p.m., when he contacted emergency services to report that he was lost, as reported by The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF).
Although a joint search and rescue team was immediately mobilized, the operation stretched on for days as rescuers combed through the hillside up to the crater.
Eventually, the RSCNPF confirmed that his body was recovered on June 1, though they didn't reveal the cause of the death.
(Credit: RSCNPF / Facebook)
"It is with deep regret that the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) confirms that Mr Wang Zyuan, who had been missing on the Mt. Liamuiga trail since Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, was located deceased on Monday, June 1st, 2026, by one of the search teams," reads the police force's Facebook post.
"Since May 27th, joint teams from the RSCNPF, the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force, the St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, the Police Training School, the Forest Unit, the Red Cross, the Ross University K9 Unit, and dedicated community volunteers have searched the mountain daily. We are profoundly grateful to every person who gave their time and effort to this operation."
In a statement provided to USA TODAY, Royal Caribbean confirmed that Zyuan, a Chinese male national, worked for the company, though they did not reveal his exact position aboard the ship:
"We are saddened to learn a crew member has passed away," the statement said. "We appreciate the tremendous efforts of the local authorities and rescue teams, who worked tirelessly over the past several days."
According to the St. Christopher Air & Sea Ports Authority, Rhapsody of the Seas, a Vision Class cruise ship measuring 78,878 gross tons, was the only cruise ship in port on May 27. The post also added that St. Kitts and Nevis welcomed approximately 2,270 passengers ashore that day.
Rhapsody of the Seas was on a seven-night Southern Caribbean cruise out of San Juan, Puerto Rico, as shared by Pure Holidays. The vessel departed on May 23 and called at Tortola, British Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; St. John's, Antigua; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Mount Liamuiga volcano hike is strenuous
Royal Caribbean's website states that the Mount Liamuiga volcano hike is "extremely strenuous" and not advised for people with pre-existing medical issues such as cardiac, respiratory, or orthopedic conditions.
Additionally, it urges passengers to consider their fitness level when determining whether they should embark on the six-mile hike or not.
A simple Google search will also reveal countless firsthand accounts reinforcing just how steep and difficult the hike is.
(Credit: Anton Alvin Singh / Facebook)
"This hike is totally doable if you’re able to scale rocks but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t the physically hardest hike I’d ever done," said Yaya, one of the co-founders of Hand Luggage Only.
"[The hike] was quite strenuous. I’m fairly experienced with hiking and trails and [I'm] a runner so I was ok with the cardio aspect of it, but there were some people that struggled," someone else commented on Reddit.
"There are definitely some slippery parts and you have to keep aware of your surroundings. A few that turned back, but most made it at different paces."
