Trendpills
An 80-year-old woman has been found dead on a remote island off the coast of Queensland, Australia, after the luxury cruise ship she was traveling on departed without her. The passenger, identified by some outlets as Suzanne Rees, was part of a group from the Coral Adventurer vessel on a shore excursion to Lizard Island, a national park on the Great Barrier Reef.
The incident occurred on Saturday, which was reportedly the first stop of a planned 60-day luxury voyage around Australia. According to Queensland Police, the woman went hiking but failed to return to the vessel before its departure. Her absence was only discovered later that evening when the crew conducted a headcount, several hours after leaving the island.
Once her absence was confirmed, the ship returned to the area and a search was launched. The woman's body was discovered on the island the following morning. An official investigation into the passenger's death is now being conducted by Queensland Police and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). Authorities are preparing a report for the coroner to determine the exact cause of death.
The victim's daughter has criticized the cruise operator, Coral Expeditions, accusing the ship's crew of a “failure of care” and a lack of common sense. In response to the tragedy, Coral Expeditions confirmed it is cooperating fully with authorities. Following the incident, the company announced the high-end voyage was cancelled, offering full refunds and assistance to all affected passengers, who have since disembarked in Cairns.
