🔗 Share this article

A two-month voyage around Australia was terminated days after the fatal incident of an elderly woman who was abandoned by the ship on a isolated island.

The passenger had been trekking on the remote island with shipmates from the vessel, but broke off from the excursion for a pause. The ship left without her and went back after some time after the personnel became aware the woman was missing.

An extensive search operation found her remains the next day.

Investigative bodies are investigating the event, alongside police and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that travelers and crew on the vessel were notified that the remainder of the journey had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and prior mechanical issues".

In a statement, he further stated that passengers would be issued a full refund, and said the operator was working "to arrange the return journeys of the travelers via private aircraft".

Authorities also published an updated announcement, and said they had "delivered a notice to the Captain" banning any further travelers from getting on the liner.

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

Timeline of Incidents

The liner first departed the coastal city on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the expedition at the moment of the senior passenger's passing. The tropical location was the first stop on the journey.

Travelers on the ship - who generally pay tens of thousands of dollars to take part in the voyage - were taken there for a daily excursion with the option of hiking or underwater exploration.

Relatives Response

The offspring of the victim said that her loved ones was "shocked and grieved that the ship left the location after an organised tour without my mother".

In her statement, she described her mum as an "vigorous 80-year-old" who was a member of a bushwalking club.

"According to scant information we have been provided, it looks that there was a lapse of attention and common sense," she said.

She added that she hoped the investigation would be able to determine what "the organization should have undertaken that might have saved Mum's being".

"According to reports from the police that it was a very hot day, and she took sick on the mountain ascent," she stated.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the boat departed, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"During some point in that sequence, or soon after, mother died, without company."

Company Reaction

Via official communication, the CEO confirmed that the operator was "cooperating fully with authorities to aid their inquiry".

He stated that the organization was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had offered its complete assistance to the family.

Shipping Sector Standards

The liner serves up to a hundred twenty passengers with forty-six staff, according to company details. It was purpose-built to reach isolated locations of the Australian coastline and is fitted with "tenders" - compact vessels used to take travelers on land visits.

Events such as this are infrequent, and passenger vessels have procedures to document which passengers are boarding or leaving, according to industry experts.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] onboard simply isn't an possibility," an authority stated.

Vessel operators regard these procedures very seriously and have "clever tech in place to prevent such incidents from happening," the authority continued.

"This seems to be presumably a shocking - and sad - single occurrence."