🔗 Share this article

A two-month voyage around Australia is being halted following the death of an elderly female passenger who was stranded by the ship on a isolated coastal location.

The elderly woman had been walking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the cruise ship, but broke off from the party for a rest. The vessel sailed away leaving her and went back later that day after the personnel discovered the lady was not present.

An extensive hunt located her body the following day.

Authorities are examining the tragedy, alongside police and the state coroner.

Head of the shipping company said that travelers and crew on the ship were informed that the rest of the cruise had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and earlier mechanical issues".

In a statement, he added that passengers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to coordinate the return journeys of the travelers via chartered flights".

Regulatory bodies also published an latest statement, and said they had "issued a order to the Master" preventing any further travelers from boarding the liner.

The spokesperson said that they would attend the vessel in the Australian city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Occurrences

The liner first departed the Australian port on October 24th, and was just two days into the voyage at the time of the 80-year-old's death. The tropical location was the first stop on the journey.

Passengers on board - who typically pay tens of thousands of currency to take part in the expedition - were transported there for a shore visit with the possibility of walking or snorkeling.

Next of Kin Statement

The child of the deceased woman said that her family was "shocked and distressed that the liner left the island after an planned outing without my mother".

Through her comments, she characterized her parent as an "vigorous octogenarian" who was a participant of a hiking group.

"According to scant information we have been informed, it seems that there was a breakdown of attention and basic judgment," she said.

She further stated that she wished the examination would be able to identify what "the organization should have performed that might have protected Her life".

"We understand from the authorities that it was a very hot period, and mother took sick on the hill climb," she revealed.

"She was asked her to return, alone. Then the boat sailed away, reportedly without performing a passenger count.

"During some point in that sequence, or shortly after, she passed away, by herself."

Company Position

Via official communication, the Chief Executive verified that the operator was "collaborating extensively with officials to aid their inquiry".

He stated that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has occurred" and had provided its complete assistance to the family.

Shipping Sector Procedures

The vessel caters for up to one hundred twenty passengers with forty-six staff, according to corporate data. It was purpose-built to enter distant areas of the nation's coastline and is outfitted with "auxiliary vessels" - compact vessels used to take travelers on shore trips.

Occurrences of this nature are uncommon, and cruise ships have procedures to track which individuals are boarding or disembarking, according to travel authorities.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] aboard simply isn't an possibility," one expert remarked.

Vessel operators regard these methods very seriously and have "sophisticated systems in place to prevent such occurrences from taking place," the specialist added.

"This is presumably a surprising - and sad - one-off."