🔗 Share this article

A extended journey around the Land Down Under was terminated following the tragic passing of an elderly woman who was stranded by the cruise liner on a remote coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been trekking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but separated from the excursion for a pause. The ship left without her and returned several hours later after the ship staff realised the passenger was unaccounted for.

A large-scale rescue mission discovered her remains the next day.

Officials are investigating the tragedy, alongside police and the state coroner.

The CEO of the voyage organizer stated that passengers and staff on the ship were told that the continuation of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and earlier engine troubles".

In a statement, he added that passengers would be issued a total repayment, and said the company was working "to organize the travel back of the travelers via specially arranged planes".

Officials also issued an updated announcement, and said they had "provided a order to the Commander" preventing any new passengers from getting on the vessel.

The representative said that they would attend the ship in the port city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Incidents

The liner initially left Cairns on 24 October, and was just two days into the journey at the point of the elderly woman's death. Lizard Island was the opening port on the voyage.

Travelers on board - who generally pay large sums of currency to take part in the voyage - were transported there for a shore visit with the option of hiking or snorkelling.

Relatives Reaction

The child of the elderly passenger said that her relatives was "stunned and grieved that the ship left the location after an scheduled tour without my parent".

Through her comments, she described her mum as an "active elderly person" who was a member of a bushwalking group.

"According to scant information we have been informed, it looks that there was a failure of attention and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she hoped the examination would be able to identify what "the organization should have undertaken that might have protected Mother's life".

"According to reports from the investigators that it was a extremely warm period, and she took sick on the mountain ascent," she explained.

"They requested her to go back, without accompaniment. Then the ship departed, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, she succumbed, by herself."

Organization Response

Through an announcement, the Chief Executive affirmed that the organization was "collaborating extensively with officials to support their examination".

He stated that the company was "very regretful that this has occurred" and had provided its complete assistance to the family.

Shipping Sector Procedures

The ship caters for up to a hundred twenty passengers with 46 crew, according to official information. It was specifically designed to access remote areas of Australia's coast and is outfitted with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to transport passengers on day excursions.

Events like this are rare, and cruise ships have protocols to record which passengers are embarking or getting off, according to industry experts.

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

Cruise lines regard these processes very seriously and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such incidents from taking place," the expert continued.

"This appears to be most likely a shocking - and tragic - single occurrence."