Camilla Jessen
Passenger reportedly fell ill on a hot hike, was left unescorted, and ship departed without a passenger count, family says.
An 80-year-old Australian woman, Suzanne Rees, was found dead on Lizard Island after being left behind by her cruise ship during a hiking excursion, according to The Guardian.
Rees, from New South Wales, was taking part in a group hike as part of the Coral Adventurer’s 60-day cruise around Australia.
When passengers returned to the ship, she was not among them. The vessel reportedly departed without conducting a full passenger count.
Lizard Island, located on the Great Barrier Reef, was the first stop on the cruise, which costs up to $86,400 per person for a balcony cabin.
Rees’ daughter, Katherine, expressed deep concern over how the situation was handled. Speaking to The Australian, she said:
“From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense. We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and Mum fell ill on the hill climb. She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone.”
Queensland Police said that Coral Adventurer, which carries up to 120 passengers and 48 crew, raised the alarm about Rees’ disappearance on Saturday, October 25.
A rescue helicopter was deployed around 12:45 a.m. the next day.
Her body was discovered later on October 26.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed they are investigating why the woman may not have been accounted for during reboarding.
Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield called it a “tragic death” and said the company was cooperating with authorities and offering support to Rees’ family.
A coronial inquiry is expected to determine what went wrong and whether the cruise company failed in its duty of care.
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, who may have used AI in the preparation
