🔗 Share this article

One extended cruise around the Land Down Under is being halted in the wake of the death of an elderly woman who was stranded by the ship on a isolated coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on the remote island with other travelers from the vessel, but broke off from the party for a pause. The liner departed without her and went back several hours later after the personnel became aware the passenger was not present.

A large-scale hunt found her remains the subsequent day.

Investigative bodies are investigating the incident, together with law enforcement and the state coroner.

Chief Executive of the cruise operator stated that guests and personnel on the ship were informed that the remainder of the journey had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and prior mechanical issues".

Via official communication, he added that travelers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to coordinate the travel back of the passengers via chartered flights".

Officials also published an revised announcement, and said they had "delivered a order to the Captain" banning any new passengers from getting on the ship.

The representative said that they would inspect the liner in Cairns upon its arrival.

Timeline of Events

The ship originally sailed from Cairns on October 24th, and was merely two days into the voyage at the point of the elderly woman's demise. The remote island was the first stop on the journey.

Guests on board - who generally pay large sums of money to participate in the voyage - were taken there for a shore visit with the possibility of hiking or snorkeling.

Family Reaction

The offspring of the deceased woman said that her family was "shocked and grieved that the vessel left the island after an planned excursion without my mother".

In her statement, she described her parent as an "vigorous 80-year-old" who was a participant of a walking club.

"According to scant details we have been informed, it looks that there was a breakdown of attention and common sense," she stated.

She further stated that she desired the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have done that might have protected Mother's being".

"Based on information from the police that it was a exceptionally warm day, and mum fell ill on the mountain ascent," she revealed.

"She was asked her to return, without accompaniment. Then the ship departed, seemingly without doing a passenger count.

"During some point in that chain of events, or not long after, mother passed away, alone."

Company Position

Via official communication, the Head verified that the operator was "cooperating fully with officials to assist their inquiry".

He said that the company was "very regretful that this has happened" and had extended its full support to the family.

Maritime Business Practices

The vessel accommodates up to 120 passengers with forty-six crew, according to official details. It was specially constructed to access remote locations of the nation's shoreline and is fitted with "small boats" - compact vessels used to ferry passengers on shore trips.

Incidents like this are uncommon, and cruise ships have protocols to track which individuals are boarding or leaving, according to travel authorities.

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

Cruise lines consider these procedures with great importance and have "sophisticated systems in place to avoid such incidents from taking place," the specialist continued.

"This appears to be probably a shocking - and unfortunate - isolated incident."