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One 60-day journey through the Land Down Under has been cancelled days after the death of an older female passenger who was left behind by the ship on a remote coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been trekking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but broke off from the excursion for a rest. The liner sailed away leaving her and came back several hours later after the ship staff realised the passenger was unaccounted for.

An extensive search operation found her body the subsequent day.

Authorities are looking into the incident, together with law enforcement and the medical examiner.

Head of the cruise operator announced that travelers and crew on the ship were informed that the rest of the journey had been called off due to the "tragic passing and earlier technical problems".

In a statement, he mentioned that passengers would be given a total repayment, and said the company was working "to organize the travel back of the individuals via specially arranged planes".

Officials also published an latest communication, and said they had "delivered a directive to the Commander" preventing any further travelers from getting on the vessel.

The spokesperson said that they would inspect the liner in Cairns upon its return.

Sequence of Occurrences

The liner first departed the Australian port on October 24th, and was merely two days into the journey at the time of the senior passenger's death. Lizard Island was the initial destination on the voyage.

Passengers on the vessel - who typically pay substantial amounts of currency to join the voyage - were ferried there for a shore visit with the possibility of hiking or underwater exploration.

Family Statement

The offspring of the victim said that her relatives was "stunned and distressed that the ship left Lizard Island after an planned excursion without my parent".

Via her announcement, she portrayed her mum as an "vigorous elderly person" who was a participant of a hiking group.

"From the little facts we have been informed, it seems that there was a breakdown of attention and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She added that she hoped the examination would be able to determine what "the operator should have done that might have protected Mother's being".

"According to reports from the authorities that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and mother took sick on the mountain ascent," she revealed.

"She was asked her to head down, alone. Then the boat departed, seemingly without conducting a headcount.

"During some point in that process, or not long after, mum passed away, without company."

Company Reaction

In a statement, the Chief Executive confirmed that the company was "cooperating fully with authorities to assist their inquiry".

He mentioned that the company was "very regretful that this has happened" and had extended its total backing to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Procedures

The liner caters for up to one hundred twenty travelers with nearly fifty staff, according to official information. It was specially constructed to access isolated areas of the Australian coast and is equipped with "small boats" - small boats used to transport passengers on shore trips.

Occurrences such as this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have protocols to track which individuals are embarking or leaving, according to travel authorities.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] on the ship really isn't an choice," an authority stated.

Shipping companies consider these processes very seriously and have "clever tech in place to prevent such occurrences from happening," the expert further stated.

"This seems to be most likely a shocking - and sad - one-off."