🔗 Share this article Voyage Cancelled In the Wake of Death of Female Passenger Abandoned on Tropical Isle Lizard Island lies roughly 250km above the Australian Port One 60-day journey around Australia is being halted days after the death of an elderly lady who was stranded by the vessel on a isolated island. The passenger had been trekking on the tropical location with shipmates from the cruise ship, but separated from the party for a break. The vessel sailed away leaving her and went back several hours later after the personnel discovered the lady was not present. An extensive rescue mission discovered her body the next day. Investigative bodies are examining the incident, alongside investigators and the official investigator. Chief Executive of the voyage organizer said that travelers and staff on the ship were told that the rest of the journey had been called off due to the "unfortunate death and earlier engine troubles". Through an announcement, he further stated that guests would be issued a total repayment, and said the company was working "to organize the return journeys of the passengers via private aircraft". Officials also published an updated communication, and said they had "delivered a directive to the Captain" banning any additional guests from getting on the vessel. The official said that they would inspect the ship in Cairns upon its return. Chronology of Incidents The vessel first departed the coastal city on October 24th, and was only 48 hours into the voyage at the point of the elderly woman's death. The tropical location was the first stop on the voyage. Guests on board - who usually pay substantial amounts of currency to join the cruise - were taken there for a day trip with the possibility of hiking or snorkelling. Next of Kin Reaction The daughter of the deceased woman said that her relatives was "surprised and saddened that the liner left Lizard Island after an planned outing without my mum". In her statement, she characterized her parent as an "vigorous elderly person" who was a affiliate of a hiking organization. "From the little facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a breakdown of attention and common sense," she stated. She further stated that she hoped the examination would be able to identify what "the operator should have performed that might have preserved Mother's life". "We understand from the police that it was a very hot period, and mother became unwell on the uphill trek," she revealed. "They requested her to return, without accompaniment. Then the vessel sailed away, apparently without doing a passenger count. "At some stage in that chain of events, or not long after, mother succumbed, without company." Operator Response In a statement, the CEO affirmed that the operator was "working closely with investigators to support their inquiry". He said that the organization was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had extended its complete assistance to the relatives. Maritime Business Procedures The vessel accommodates up to 120 passengers with 46 staff, according to official information. It was purpose-built to enter remote locations of the Australian shoreline and is equipped with "tenders" - small boats used to ferry travelers on shore trips. Events such as this are infrequent, and passenger vessels have protocols to track which passengers are getting on or disembarking, according to travel authorities. "Leaving covertly or [back] aboard really isn't an choice," one expert remarked. Vessel operators consider these methods with great importance and have "clever tech in place to avoid such incidents from occurring," the expert continued. "This appears to be most likely a surprising - and unfortunate - one-off."