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A two-month cruise around the Australian Coast has been cancelled days after the fatal incident of an elderly lady who was left behind by the ship on a isolated tropical isle.

Suzanne Rees had been hiking on the remote island with shipmates from the Coral Adventurer, but separated from the excursion for a rest. The vessel left without her and came back after some time after the personnel discovered the lady was unaccounted for.

An extensive rescue mission discovered her body the next day.

Authorities are examining the incident, together with police and the state coroner.

Head of the shipping company stated that travelers and personnel on the vessel were told that the remainder of the cruise had been cancelled due to the "unfortunate death and earlier mechanical issues".

In a statement, he further stated that guests would be issued a total repayment, and said the operator was working "to organize the return journeys of the travelers via specially arranged planes".

Officials also issued an revised statement, and said they had "issued a notice to the Master" preventing any additional guests from getting on the vessel.

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

Sequence of Events

The ship initially left the coastal city on the 24th of October, and was merely two days into the expedition at the time of the elderly woman's demise. The tropical location was the first stop on the itinerary.

Travelers on the ship - who generally pay large sums of dollars to participate in the expedition - were transported 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 loved ones was "stunned and saddened that the liner left the island after an scheduled excursion without my mother".

In her statement, she described her mum as an "active octogenarian" who was a participant of a walking club.

"From the little facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a failure of responsibility and common sense," she stated.

She added that she desired the examination would be able to determine what "the organization should have performed that might have saved Mother's existence".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a very hot period, and mum became unwell on the hill climb," she stated.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the ship departed, reportedly without conducting a roll call.

"At some stage in that sequence, or soon after, mother died, alone."

Company Response

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

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

Cruise Industry Procedures

The ship caters for up to one hundred twenty guests with forty-six personnel, according to corporate information. It was specially constructed to reach isolated regions of the nation's coastline and is outfitted with "small boats" - small boats used to ferry travelers on shore trips.

Events of this nature are rare, and passenger vessels have procedures to document which individuals are embarking or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] aboard really isn't an possibility," a specialist stated.

Shipping companies consider these processes extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such incidents from taking place," the expert continued.

"This is presumably a stunning - and tragic - isolated incident."