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An extensive two-month cruise circling the Australian Coast is being halted in the wake of the death of an senior female passenger who was abandoned by the vessel on a isolated island.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but broke off from the party for a break. The vessel departed without her and went back several hours later after the personnel discovered the woman was unaccounted for.

An extensive hunt located her body the next day.

Authorities are looking into the event, in coordination with law enforcement and the official investigator.

Chief Executive of the voyage organizer stated that guests and staff on the vessel were told that the continuation of the voyage had been called off due to the "tragic passing and previous engine troubles".

Via official communication, he further stated that guests would be provided a full refund, and said the company was working "to organize the return journeys of the travelers via chartered flights".

Officials also issued an revised communication, and said they had "provided a notice to the Captain" banning any additional guests from getting on the vessel.

The spokesperson said that they would visit the ship in the Australian city upon its return.

Sequence of Incidents

The ship originally sailed from the Australian port on 24 October, and was just two days into the voyage at the moment of the senior passenger's passing. Lizard Island was the first stop on the journey.

Guests on board - who typically pay large sums of dollars to participate in the cruise - were transported there for a shore visit with the possibility of walking or underwater exploration.

Family Reaction

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

In her statement, she described her mum as an "active 80-year-old" who was a participant of a walking organization.

"From the little information we have been told, it appears that there was a failure of care and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She further stated that she desired the examination would be able to determine what "the company should have performed that might have preserved Mum's being".

"According to reports from the investigators that it was a very hot afternoon, and mother fell ill on the hill climb," she explained.

"Officials suggested her to return, alone. Then the ship left, seemingly without conducting a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or not long after, mum succumbed, alone."

Company Reaction

Via official communication, the CEO verified that the company was "working closely with officials to aid their examination".

He said that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had extended its total backing to the relatives.

Maritime Business Practices

The ship serves up to one hundred twenty guests with 46 staff, according to corporate details. It was specifically designed to enter remote locations of Australia's coast and is fitted with "tenders" - minor craft used to transport individuals on shore trips.

Incidents like this are infrequent, and cruise ships have systems to document which passengers are embarking or disembarking, according to travel authorities.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] on the ship simply isn't an possibility," an authority remarked.

Shipping companies take these processes very seriously and have "sophisticated systems in place to stop such incidents from happening," the expert continued.

"This is most likely a surprising - and sad - isolated incident."