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One 60-day journey around the Australian Coast was terminated days after the death of an older lady who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote tropical isle.

The passenger had been trekking on the tropical location with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but separated from the group for a rest. The ship left without her and returned later that day after the ship staff realised the woman was unaccounted for.

A major rescue mission discovered her body the next day.

Authorities are investigating the event, together with law enforcement and the medical examiner.

Head of the cruise operator stated that passengers and personnel on the ship were told that the remainder of the voyage had been terminated due to the "sad loss and earlier mechanical issues".

Via official communication, he mentioned that passengers would be issued a total repayment, and said the operator was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the travelers via private aircraft".

Officials also published an revised statement, and said they had "issued a notice to the Captain" prohibiting any new passengers from entering the ship.

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

Timeline of Incidents

The ship first departed Cairns on the 24th of October, and was merely two days into the expedition at the point of the 80-year-old's passing. Lizard Island was the initial destination on the journey.

Guests on the vessel - who generally pay substantial amounts of money to join the expedition - were ferried there for a daily excursion with the choice of walking or underwater exploration.

Family Statement

The offspring of the victim said that her relatives was "shocked and distressed that the vessel left the island after an organised outing without my mother".

Through her comments, she portrayed her mother as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a participant of a bushwalking club.

"From the little details we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of responsibility and common sense," she stated.

She further stated that she wished the examination would be able to determine what "the company should have done that might have protected Mum's existence".

"Based on information from the investigators that it was a very hot afternoon, and she took sick on the mountain ascent," she explained.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the ship sailed away, reportedly without performing a passenger count.

"At some stage in that chain of events, or not long after, mother died, alone."

Company Response

Through an announcement, the Head affirmed that the operator was "cooperating fully with authorities to assist their investigation".

He mentioned that the organization was "very regretful that this has happened" and had provided its full support to the relatives.

Shipping Sector Practices

The liner caters for up to 120 passengers with forty-six crew, according to official data. It was specially constructed to access isolated areas of Australia's coast and is fitted with "small boats" - small boats used to take passengers on land visits.

Occurrences such as this are infrequent, and cruise ships have procedures to track which travelers are boarding or disembarking, according to industry experts.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] on the ship simply isn't an possibility," one expert remarked.

Shipping companies take these methods very seriously and have "advanced technology in place to stop such incidents from occurring," the authority added.

"This is presumably a shocking - and tragic - single occurrence."