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A 60-day cruise circling Australia has been cancelled following the tragic passing of an senior female passenger who was abandoned by the ship on a isolated island.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on Lizard Island with other travelers from the vessel, but broke off from the excursion for a pause. The ship sailed away leaving her and went back after some time after the ship staff discovered the passenger was missing.

An extensive rescue mission discovered her person the following day.

Authorities are looking into the incident, alongside police and the official investigator.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that guests and staff on the vessel were notified that the continuation of the cruise had been terminated due to the "unfortunate death and prior technical problems".

Through an announcement, he added that guests would be issued a total repayment, and said the organization was working "to organize the homeward trips of the travelers via private aircraft".

Officials also issued an revised communication, and said they had "issued a notice to the Commander" preventing any new passengers from boarding the liner.

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

Timeline of Events

The ship originally sailed from Cairns on the 24th of October, and was merely two days into the voyage at the point of the 80-year-old's passing. The tropical location was the initial destination on the voyage.

Passengers on the vessel - who generally pay tens of thousands of currency to participate in the voyage - were ferried there for a day trip with the choice of trekking or snorkelling.

Family Reaction

The daughter of the victim said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the ship left Lizard Island after an planned excursion without my mum".

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

"Based on limited information we have been provided, it looks that there was a breakdown of attention and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she wished the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have performed that might have protected Her being".

"We understand from the investigators that it was a exceptionally warm day, and she took sick on the uphill trek," she stated.

"They requested her to return, unescorted. Then the ship departed, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"At some stage in that process, or not long after, mum succumbed, by herself."

Organization Reaction

Through an announcement, the CEO confirmed that the operator was "cooperating fully with authorities to support their examination".

He said that the firm was "very regretful that this has happened" and had provided its total backing to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Procedures

The ship caters for up to a hundred twenty travelers with 46 crew, according to company information. It was purpose-built to reach isolated areas of Australia's shoreline and is equipped with "auxiliary vessels" - minor craft used to ferry travelers on land visits.

Incidents such as this are rare, and passenger vessels have systems to track which travelers are embarking or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] on the ship really isn't an option," one expert commented.

Shipping companies regard these procedures with great importance and have "clever tech in place to prevent such occurrences from occurring," the expert further stated.

"This seems to be probably a shocking - and tragic - isolated incident."