🔗 Share this article

An extensive two-month voyage circling the Land Down Under has been cancelled following the tragic passing of an older female passenger who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote coastal location.

The passenger had been trekking on the remote island with other travelers from the vessel, but broke off from the group for a rest. The ship departed without her and came back after some time after the ship staff realised the lady was missing.

An extensive search operation located her remains the subsequent day.

Authorities are examining the event, alongside investigators and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the shipping company announced that passengers and crew on the ship were told that the continuation of the cruise had been terminated due to the "unfortunate death and previous engine troubles".

Via official communication, he further stated that travelers would be provided a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to organize the return journeys of the individuals via private aircraft".

Regulatory bodies also issued an revised statement, and said they had "provided a directive to the Captain" banning any new passengers from boarding the vessel.

The representative said that they would inspect the liner in the port city upon its return.

Timeline of Occurrences

The liner first departed Cairns on 24 October, and was just two days into the voyage at the time of the senior passenger's passing. The remote island was the initial destination on the journey.

Passengers on the vessel - who usually pay substantial amounts of money to join the cruise - were taken there for a daily excursion with the option of walking or snorkeling.

Next of Kin Response

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her relatives was "stunned and grieved that the vessel left Lizard Island after an scheduled outing without my parent".

In her statement, she described her parent as an "vigorous elderly person" who was a member of a walking club.

"According to scant facts we have been provided, it looks that there was a lapse of attention and common sense," she stated.

She added that she desired the examination would be able to identify what "the organization should have undertaken that might have protected Mum's existence".

"We understand from the police that it was a extremely warm day, and she became unwell on the hill climb," she stated.

"Officials suggested her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the boat left, reportedly without doing a roll call.

"At some stage in that chain of events, or not long after, mother succumbed, alone."

Operator Reaction

Through an announcement, the CEO verified that the company was "cooperating fully with authorities to assist their inquiry".

He said that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had provided its full support to the family.

Maritime Business Procedures

The vessel serves up to one hundred twenty passengers with 46 staff, according to company data. It was specifically designed to enter distant areas of the Australian coastline and is fitted with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to ferry travelers on shore trips.

Incidents of this nature are uncommon, and cruise ships have protocols to document which passengers are boarding or leaving, according to industry experts.

"Leaving covertly or [back] aboard simply isn't an choice," an authority commented.

Vessel operators consider these processes extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to stop such incidents from occurring," the specialist continued.

"This seems to be probably a stunning - and sad - isolated incident."