(NewsNation) — James “Weston” Higginbotham, a 20-year-old Auburn University student who went missing in Japan, has been found dead, his family confirmed.

“Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside Kyoto,” his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, wrote in a Facebook post. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”

Higginbotham was last seen in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward on May 29, where he had been visiting with family to celebrate his younger brother’s graduation. At the time of his disappearance, Nancy Higginbotham said her son may have been “emotionally distressed.”

Missing student Weston Higginbotham last seen in Kyoto’s Yamashina Ward

He was last known to have arrived at Kyoto Station around 8:15 p.m., and his phone lost connection about 14 minutes later, according to the family. He had been in Japan with relatives since May 25.

In a statement Saturday, his mother thanked the volunteer search group and others who assisted in the effort to locate him.

“We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like,” she wrote. “Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and support. We will need them now more than ever.”

Japanese police had launched an extensive search effort, deploying dozens of officers, K-9 units and helicopters to comb the area.