🔗 Share this article

One extended cruise circling Australia has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an elderly lady who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a distant tropical isle.

Suzanne Rees had been trekking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the Coral Adventurer, but broke off from the party for a rest. The vessel departed without her and went back several hours later after the personnel became aware the woman was not present.

A major hunt found her remains the following day.

Officials are investigating the tragedy, in coordination with police and the official investigator.

Chief Executive of the voyage organizer announced that passengers and personnel on the vessel were notified that the rest of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and earlier engine troubles".

In a statement, he further stated that travelers would be given a full refund, and said the operator was working "to organize the return journeys of the individuals via specially arranged planes".

Authorities also issued an revised statement, and said they had "delivered a order to the Master" prohibiting any new passengers from getting on the vessel.

The representative said that they would attend the liner in Cairns upon its return.

Timeline of Events

The vessel originally sailed from Cairns on the 24th of October, and was just two days into the voyage at the time of the elderly woman's death. The tropical location was the first stop on the journey.

Travelers on board - who typically pay substantial amounts of money to take part in the voyage - were ferried there for a daily excursion with the choice of trekking or snorkeling.

Next of Kin Reaction

The child of the victim said that her relatives was "stunned and distressed that the liner left the island after an planned tour without my parent".

In her statement, she described her mother as an "vigorous octogenarian" who was a participant of a hiking club.

"Based on limited details we have been told, it appears that there was a breakdown of care and basic judgment," she said.

She further stated that she hoped the examination would be able to determine what "the organization should have undertaken that might have protected Mum's being".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a very hot day, and she fell ill on the mountain ascent," she explained.

"Officials suggested her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the boat departed, seemingly without performing a headcount.

"At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, mum passed away, alone."

Company Response

In a statement, the Head affirmed that the organization was "collaborating extensively with authorities to assist their examination".

He said that the firm was "very regretful that this has occurred" and had extended its complete assistance to the family.

Cruise Industry Practices

The liner serves up to one hundred twenty travelers with forty-six personnel, according to company information. It was specifically designed to enter distant locations of the Australian coastline and is equipped with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to transport passengers on day excursions.

Incidents such as this are rare, and passenger vessels have protocols to record which travelers are boarding or disembarking, according to maritime specialists.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] onboard simply isn't an option," a specialist commented.

Vessel operators consider these processes extremely carefully and have "sophisticated systems in place to stop such occurrences from taking place," the authority added.

"This is presumably a shocking - and unfortunate - one-off."