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An extensive extended journey around the Australian Coast has been cancelled days after the tragic passing of an elderly lady who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been walking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but broke off from the group for a pause. The liner sailed away leaving her and went back several hours later after the crew realised the lady was missing.

A large-scale hunt found her remains the subsequent day.

Investigative bodies are looking into the incident, in coordination with police and the official investigator.

Chief Executive of the shipping company stated that passengers and crew on the vessel were informed that the rest of the journey had been terminated due to the "unfortunate death and earlier mechanical issues".

Via official communication, he mentioned that passengers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the operator was working "to organize the return journeys of the individuals via private aircraft".

Officials also issued an revised announcement, and said they had "issued a directive to the Master" prohibiting any new passengers from getting on the liner.

The official said that they would visit the liner in Cairns upon its return.

Timeline of Incidents

The vessel initially left Cairns on 24 October, and was merely two days into the expedition at the point of the senior passenger's passing. Lizard Island was the first stop on the journey.

Guests on board - who usually pay large sums of money to participate in the voyage - were transported there for a daily excursion with the choice of trekking or underwater exploration.

Family Response

The child of the elderly passenger said that her loved ones was "stunned and distressed that the vessel left Lizard Island after an scheduled excursion without my mother".

Via her announcement, she described her parent as an "energetic octogenarian" who was a affiliate of a bushwalking club.

"From the little information we have been provided, it looks that there was a lapse of attention and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she desired the examination would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have undertaken that might have protected Mum's existence".

"Based on information from the police that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and mother took sick on the hill climb," she explained.

"They requested her to go back, unescorted. Then the boat sailed away, seemingly without performing a roll call.

"At a certain moment in that chain of events, or not long after, she succumbed, by herself."

Operator Response

Through an announcement, the CEO confirmed that the operator was "working closely with officials to assist their inquiry".

He said that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has transpired" and had offered its full support to the relatives.

Shipping Sector Practices

The liner caters for up to 120 passengers with nearly fifty crew, according to company details. It was purpose-built to access isolated regions of the nation's shoreline and is outfitted with "tenders" - compact vessels used to transport travelers on land visits.

Events such as this are rare, and passenger vessels have systems to document which passengers are getting on or leaving, according to maritime specialists.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] on the ship just isn't an option," an authority commented.

Cruise lines regard these procedures very seriously and have "sophisticated systems in place to stop such incidents from happening," the specialist further stated.

"This appears to be presumably a shocking - and tragic - single occurrence."