🔗 Share this article

One two-month cruise circling Australia has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an older lady who was stranded by the vessel on a isolated coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on the remote island with other travelers from the Coral Adventurer, but broke off from the excursion for a rest. The liner left without her and went back several hours later after the personnel became aware the lady was missing.

A large-scale search operation located her remains the next day.

Investigative bodies are looking into the event, alongside investigators and the state coroner.

Head of the shipping company stated that travelers and crew on the ship were informed that the remainder of the cruise had been called off due to the "tragic passing and previous engine troubles".

In a statement, he further stated that passengers would be provided a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the individuals via chartered flights".

Regulatory bodies also issued an revised statement, and said they had "provided a directive to the Captain" banning any additional guests from getting on the ship.

The official said that they would visit the vessel in the port city upon its coming back.

Timeline of Occurrences

The liner first departed Cairns on the 24th of October, and was just two days into the journey at the point of the senior passenger's demise. The remote island was the first stop on the journey.

Guests on board - who typically pay tens of thousands of dollars to take part in the voyage - were ferried there for a shore visit with the choice of walking or snorkeling.

Relatives Reaction

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

Through her comments, she characterized her mother as an "energetic elderly person" who was a participant of a bushwalking club.

"Based on limited information we have been informed, it looks that there was a lapse of care and common sense," she said.

She continued that she desired the examination would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have performed that might have preserved Her life".

"Based on information from the investigators that it was a exceptionally warm day, and she became unwell on the uphill trek," she revealed.

"She was asked her to head down, alone. Then the ship sailed away, reportedly without doing a headcount.

"During some point in that process, or not long after, she succumbed, by herself."

Organization Position

Through an announcement, the Chief Executive confirmed that the operator was "cooperating fully with authorities to assist their investigation".

He stated that the firm was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had provided its total backing to the relatives.

Cruise Industry Standards

The ship serves up to a hundred twenty guests with 46 personnel, according to company information. It was specifically designed to access remote locations of the Australian shoreline and is fitted with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to take travelers on shore trips.

Occurrences of this nature are uncommon, and liners have protocols to record which passengers are boarding or leaving, according to travel authorities.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard just isn't an possibility," one expert remarked.

Vessel operators consider these processes extremely carefully and have "clever tech in place to avoid such incidents from taking place," the expert added.

"This appears to be presumably a surprising - and tragic - single occurrence."