🔗 Share this article

A extended voyage around the Australian Coast has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an elderly lady who was stranded by the cruise liner on a isolated tropical isle.

The passenger had been walking on the tropical location with shipmates from the vessel, but parted ways from the party for a break. The liner departed without her and went back after some time after the ship staff realised the lady was unaccounted for.

A large-scale search operation discovered her body the next day.

Authorities are looking into the event, together with law enforcement and the medical examiner.

Chief Executive of the shipping company announced that passengers and crew on the vessel were notified that the remainder of the journey had been terminated due to the "unfortunate death and previous engine troubles".

Through an announcement, he further stated that travelers would be provided a total repayment, and said the organization was working "to organize the homeward trips of the travelers via chartered flights".

Authorities also issued an revised announcement, and said they had "issued a directive to the Commander" prohibiting any further travelers from boarding the ship.

The official said that they would attend the ship in the port city upon its return.

Timeline of Events

The ship first departed Cairns on the 24th of October, and was just two days into the expedition at the moment of the senior passenger's death. Lizard Island was the opening port on the voyage.

Travelers on the ship - who typically pay substantial amounts of money to participate in the cruise - were transported there for a daily excursion with the possibility of walking or snorkeling.

Family Statement

The daughter of the deceased woman said that her loved ones was "stunned and grieved that the ship left the location after an planned excursion without my mum".

In her statement, she characterized her parent as an "vigorous octogenarian" who was a participant of a bushwalking club.

"From the little facts we have been provided, it looks that there was a lapse of care and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She added that she desired the investigation would be able to identify what "the company should have performed that might have saved Mum's existence".

"According to reports from the authorities that it was a extremely warm period, and mother fell ill on the mountain ascent," she revealed.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the ship departed, reportedly without doing a roll call.

"During some point in that sequence, or soon after, she died, by herself."

Operator Response

Via official communication, the Head confirmed that the company was "working closely with investigators to support their investigation".

He said that the firm was "deeply sorry that this has transpired" and had offered its total backing to the relatives.

Maritime Business Procedures

The ship serves up to one hundred twenty guests with forty-six crew, according to corporate data. It was specially constructed to reach isolated locations of Australia's coast and is fitted with "small boats" - minor craft used to take travelers on day excursions.

Occurrences like this are uncommon, and cruise ships have systems to track which travelers are embarking or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] aboard simply isn't an option," an authority commented.

Shipping companies regard these procedures with great importance and have "advanced technology in place to avoid such events from happening," the expert further stated.

"This appears to be probably a shocking - and sad - one-off."