🔗 Share this article

An extensive 60-day voyage around the Australian Coast is being halted in the wake of the death of an senior female passenger who was stranded by the ship on a isolated island.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the Coral Adventurer, but parted ways from the group for a pause. The ship left without her and came back several hours later after the crew became aware the woman was unaccounted for.

A major search operation discovered her body the following day.

Authorities are investigating the event, alongside law enforcement and the medical examiner.

Head of the voyage organizer said that guests and crew on the vessel were notified that the remainder of the cruise had been terminated due to the "sad loss and earlier mechanical issues".

Through an announcement, he mentioned that travelers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the operator was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the individuals via chartered flights".

Authorities also issued an latest communication, and said they had "issued a order to the Commander" preventing any new passengers from boarding the liner.

The spokesperson said that they would attend the liner in the port city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Events

The liner originally sailed from Cairns on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the voyage at the point of the 80-year-old's demise. Lizard Island was the initial destination on the voyage.

Guests on board - who usually pay substantial amounts of currency to join the expedition - were taken there for a day trip with the option of walking or snorkeling.

Family Response

The child of the deceased woman said that her loved ones was "shocked and grieved that the vessel left Lizard Island after an organised outing without my mother".

Through her comments, she portrayed her mother as an "vigorous octogenarian" who was a member of a walking organization.

"From the little details we have been informed, it looks that there was a lapse of care and basic judgment," she stated.

She further stated that she wished the inquiry would be able to determine what "the organization should have performed that might have protected Mum's life".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a very hot day, and she took sick on the hill climb," she revealed.

"Officials suggested her to return, unescorted. Then the boat left, apparently without doing a headcount.

"At a certain moment in that process, or soon after, she succumbed, without company."

Organization Position

Through an announcement, the CEO confirmed that the organization was "working closely with authorities to support their examination".

He said that the company was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had extended its full support to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Procedures

The vessel serves up to one hundred twenty travelers with 46 staff, according to official data. It was specially constructed to reach distant areas of the Australian coastline and is outfitted with "small boats" - minor craft used to transport travelers on land visits.

Incidents like this are infrequent, and passenger vessels have protocols to document which individuals are embarking or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] on the ship really isn't an possibility," one expert remarked.

Shipping companies take these processes with great importance and have "sophisticated systems in place to stop such events from occurring," the expert added.

"This appears to be most likely a shocking - and sad - isolated incident."