🔗 Share this article

A 60-day voyage circling Australia is being halted in the wake of the death of an elderly woman who was stranded by the cruise liner on a isolated coastal location.

The passenger had been walking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the vessel, but separated from the party for a break. The ship sailed away leaving her and came back after some time after the crew became aware the passenger was not present.

A large-scale hunt located her person the following day.

Investigative bodies are examining the incident, alongside police and the medical examiner.

Head of the shipping company stated that passengers and staff on the Coral Adventurer were notified that the rest of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and earlier technical problems".

Via official communication, he added that passengers would be provided a total repayment, and said the company was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the passengers via specially arranged planes".

Officials also released an updated announcement, and said they had "provided a directive to the Master" banning any further travelers from boarding the ship.

The official said that they would attend the liner in Cairns upon its arrival.

Timeline of Events

The liner initially left Cairns on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the journey at the point of the elderly woman's demise. Lizard Island was the opening port on the itinerary.

Passengers on board - who usually pay substantial amounts of dollars to join the voyage - were ferried there for a day trip with the choice of walking or snorkeling.

Relatives Reaction

The offspring of the victim said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the liner left Lizard Island after an planned excursion without my mother".

In her statement, she characterized her mother as an "energetic elderly person" who was a participant of a hiking organization.

"According to scant information we have been told, it looks that there was a breakdown of care and common sense," she stated.

She added that she wished the investigation would be able to identify what "the operator should have undertaken that might have protected Mum's existence".

"According to reports from the police that it was a exceptionally warm afternoon, and mother fell ill on the hill climb," she stated.

"She was asked her to return, alone. Then the boat left, seemingly without conducting a headcount.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or shortly after, mum passed away, by herself."

Company Response

Through an announcement, the CEO verified that the operator was "cooperating fully with investigators to aid their examination".

He said that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has transpired" and had offered its full support to the relatives.

Cruise Industry Standards

The ship caters for up to a hundred twenty guests with nearly fifty staff, according to company data. It was purpose-built to reach remote areas of the nation's coast and is outfitted with "small boats" - minor craft used to ferry individuals on day excursions.

Occurrences like this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have protocols to document which passengers are boarding or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard simply isn't an choice," one expert remarked.

Cruise lines consider these procedures extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such occurrences from occurring," the expert further stated.

"This seems to be most likely a stunning - and unfortunate - single occurrence."