🔗 Share this article

An extensive two-month cruise circling the Australian Coast has been cancelled days after the death of an elderly lady who was abandoned by the vessel on a isolated island.

Suzanne Rees had been hiking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but separated from the excursion for a pause. The liner departed without her and went back several hours later after the personnel realised the passenger was missing.

A major rescue mission located her remains the next day.

Officials are examining the tragedy, in coordination with law enforcement and the official investigator.

The CEO of the voyage organizer stated that passengers and crew on the Coral Adventurer were informed that the continuation of the cruise had been called off due to the "sad loss and previous technical problems".

In a statement, he mentioned that guests would be issued a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to organize the homeward trips of the individuals via specially arranged planes".

Authorities also released an updated communication, and said they had "issued a directive to the Captain" prohibiting any new passengers from boarding the liner.

The representative said that they would inspect the vessel in the port city upon its return.

Timeline of Occurrences

The ship originally sailed from Cairns on October 24th, and was just two days into the expedition at the moment of the senior passenger's death. Lizard Island was the opening port on the journey.

Guests on board - who generally pay tens of thousands of currency to participate in the expedition - were taken there for a daily excursion with the possibility of trekking or snorkelling.

Family Statement

The child of the elderly passenger said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the ship left the island after an scheduled excursion without my mother".

Via her announcement, she portrayed her mother as an "vigorous 80-year-old" who was a affiliate of a bushwalking club.

"Based on limited facts we have been provided, it appears that there was a lapse of attention and common sense," she stated.

She further stated that she hoped the examination would be able to identify what "the organization should have performed that might have protected Her life".

"According to reports from the police that it was a very hot day, and mother took sick on the uphill trek," she stated.

"She was asked her to go back, unescorted. Then the ship departed, reportedly without conducting a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or shortly after, she passed away, alone."

Operator Response

Via official communication, the Head confirmed that the organization was "collaborating extensively with officials to support their investigation".

He stated that the company was "extremely apologetic that this has happened" and had extended its full support to the family.

Shipping Sector Standards

The vessel accommodates up to one hundred twenty guests with nearly fifty personnel, according to company details. It was specifically designed to enter remote locations of the Australian shoreline and is outfitted with "tenders" - small boats used to ferry passengers on day excursions.

Occurrences like this are rare, and liners have procedures to track which individuals are getting on or leaving, according to industry experts.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] onboard simply isn't an choice," one expert stated.

Shipping companies consider these methods very seriously and have "clever tech in place to stop such incidents from taking place," the specialist further stated.

"This is probably a shocking - and unfortunate - isolated incident."