🔗 Share this article

An extensive extended cruise through the Australian Coast is being halted days after the fatal incident of an senior female passenger who was abandoned by the vessel on a isolated island.

Suzanne Rees had been trekking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the vessel, but separated from the party for a break. The liner sailed away leaving her and came back several hours later after the crew realised the lady was not present.

A major hunt discovered her person the next day.

Investigative bodies are examining the event, alongside investigators and the medical examiner.

Head of the voyage organizer said that travelers and crew on the ship were told that the remainder of the cruise had been called off due to the "unfortunate death and previous mechanical issues".

In a statement, he further stated that travelers would be provided a total repayment, and said the operator was working "to arrange the travel back of the travelers via private aircraft".

Officials also issued an revised communication, and said they had "issued a directive to the Master" preventing any additional guests from getting on the vessel.

The representative said that they would inspect the vessel in Cairns upon its return.

Chronology of Events

The ship originally sailed from the Australian port on October 24th, and was only 48 hours into the journey at the time of the 80-year-old's death. The remote island was the opening port on the journey.

Guests on the vessel - who typically pay large sums of money to participate in the cruise - were ferried there for a shore visit with the choice of walking or snorkelling.

Relatives Response

The daughter of the victim said that her loved ones was "shocked and distressed that the vessel left Lizard Island after an planned tour without my mother".

Through her comments, she described her mother as an "energetic octogenarian" who was a participant of a bushwalking organization.

"According to scant details we have been informed, it looks that there was a failure of responsibility and ordinary reasoning," she stated.

She added that she wished the investigation would be able to determine what "the operator should have undertaken that might have protected Mother's existence".

"We understand from the investigators that it was a exceptionally warm afternoon, and mum became unwell on the uphill trek," she explained.

"They requested her to return, without accompaniment. Then the vessel sailed away, apparently without doing a roll call.

"During some point in that process, or shortly after, mum passed away, by herself."

Company Reaction

Via official communication, the Head confirmed that the organization was "cooperating fully with officials to assist their examination".

He said that the organization was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had offered its total backing to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Practices

The vessel caters for up to a hundred twenty guests with forty-six personnel, according to company data. It was specifically designed to reach remote locations of Australia's coast and is outfitted with "small boats" - small boats used to take travelers on day excursions.

Incidents like this are infrequent, and passenger vessels have procedures to document which passengers are boarding or disembarking, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] on the ship just isn't an choice," an authority commented.

Cruise lines consider these processes extremely carefully and have "clever tech in place to avoid such incidents from occurring," the expert continued.

"This appears to be presumably a surprising - and unfortunate - one-off."