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One extended voyage around the Australian Coast has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an older female passenger who was left behind by the ship on a remote island.

Suzanne Rees had been hiking on the tropical location with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer, but broke off from the excursion for a rest. The liner sailed away leaving her and went back later that day after the crew realised the woman was unaccounted for.

A large-scale rescue mission discovered her remains the following day.

Investigative bodies are investigating the tragedy, alongside law enforcement and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the shipping company announced that travelers and crew on the Coral Adventurer were told that the remainder of the voyage had been called off due to the "tragic passing and prior technical problems".

Through an announcement, he mentioned that passengers would be given a full refund, and said the company was working "to coordinate the return journeys of the passengers via private aircraft".

Authorities also published an latest statement, and said they had "issued a directive to the Master" banning any additional guests from entering the liner.

The spokesperson said that they would attend the vessel in Cairns upon its arrival.

Timeline of Events

The vessel originally sailed from Cairns on the 24th of October, and was just two days into the expedition at the point of the senior passenger's passing. The tropical location was the opening port on the itinerary.

Guests on the vessel - who typically pay tens of thousands of currency to join the expedition - were ferried there for a shore visit with the option of hiking or underwater exploration.

Next of Kin Reaction

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her relatives was "shocked and grieved that the liner left the island after an scheduled excursion without my mother".

Via her announcement, she portrayed her mum as an "vigorous 80-year-old" who was a participant of a hiking group.

"According to scant information we have been informed, it appears that there was a failure of responsibility and common sense," she mentioned.

She continued that she hoped the examination would be able to identify what "the company should have performed that might have saved Her existence".

"We understand from the police that it was a exceptionally warm afternoon, and mother became unwell on the hill climb," she explained.

"She was asked her to go back, alone. Then the vessel departed, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or not long after, she succumbed, without company."

Operator Reaction

Through an announcement, the CEO affirmed that the operator was "working closely with investigators to aid their inquiry".

He said that the organization was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had extended its full support to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Practices

The vessel accommodates up to one hundred twenty guests with 46 crew, according to company data. It was specially constructed to reach remote regions of Australia's shoreline and is fitted with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to transport passengers on shore trips.

Occurrences of this nature are infrequent, and passenger vessels have protocols to record which travelers are boarding or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard really isn't an choice," a specialist stated.

Vessel operators consider these procedures with great importance and have "clever tech in place to avoid such events from happening," the expert added.

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