A cruise that left an 80-year-old woman behind on a deserted island has finally been cancelled.
Australian grandmother Suzanne Rees was found dead on Lizard Island on Saturday after the $80,000-a-ticket voyage left without her.
The island, in Far North Queensland, was the first stop of a 60-day circumnavigation of Australia.
Rees had been hiking with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer, but separated from the group for a rest.
Katherine Rees said her mother fell ill during an organised hill climb on Lizard Island and was asked to travel back down the mountain, unescorted.
‘Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone,’ she told The Australian.
The ship returned several hours later after the crew realised the woman was missing, but it was too late. A major search operation found her body the following day.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) is investigating the incident, alongside Queensland Police and the state coroner.
Australian grandmother Suzanne Rees was found dead on Lizard Island Saturday after the $80,000-a-ticket voyage left without her
The island, in Far North Queensland , had been the first stop of a 60-day circumnavigation of Australia. Pictured: A helicopter is seen on Lizard Island during search efforts over the weekend
The CEO of the cruise operator Coral Expeditions, Mark Fifield, said on Saturday that passengers and crew on the Coral Adventurer were told on Wednesday that the remainder of the voyage had been cancelled due to the ‘tragic passing of Suzanne Rees and previous mechanical issues’.
He added in a statement that passengers would be issued a full refund, and said Coral Expeditions was working ‘to co-ordinate the return journeys of the passengers via chartered flights’.
Amsa also released an updated statement on Saturday, saying it had ‘issued a notice to the Master of Coral Adventurer’ prohibiting any new passengers from boarding the ship.
The spokesperson said that officials would attend the vessel in Cairns upon its return.
It’s understood Ms Rees was not reported missing until about 6pm on Saturday night when she failed to arrive for dinner, five hours after she was allegedly left behind.
Ms Rees’s body was found 50m off the hiking trail that leads to Lizard Island’s highest summit, Cook’s Look, on Sunday.
Her death came just one day after the Coral Adventurer kicked off its journey, embarking from Cairns on Friday afternoon.
The ship had anchored off Lizard Island on Saturday, where passengers could take a smaller boat to hike and snorkel on the resort island, 90km northeast of Cooktown.
Yachtie Traci Ayris and her partner Matthew, who were aboard SV Vellamo anchored near Lizard Island, were listening to emergency radio transmissions sent from the Coral Expeditions vessel.
‘They did headcounts for snorkellers (which we heard) but not for other guests on the island it would seem,’ Ms Ayris told the Cairns Post.
‘The last people came down from the track and got into tender then the (ship) left very soon after that.
The tourist was reported missing after she failed to return to the Coral Adventurer cruise ship (vessel pictured)
Katherine Rees said her mother fell ill during an organised hill climb on Lizard Island and was asked to travel back down the mountain, unescorted. Pictured: Lizard Island
‘There was not a lot of time between when the last passengers left the beach to when they up-anchored. We even commented, “Wow they left fast”.’
Vessel Finder showed the Coral Adventurer sailed back towards Lizard Island about 9pm on Saturday and arrived at about 2am on Sunday.
Ms Ayris said a helicopter began an aerial search at about midnight and seven crew from the Coral Adventurer went ashore and walked the mountain by torchlight until 3am, before the search resumed again at first light.
‘The chopper arrived at first light and it went directly to Telstra Rock (where she was last seen) and immediately it hovered then went straight to the air strip,’ she said.
‘We knew that it had found her and the lack of activity told us that she was clearly dead. She lay there all day and was finally airlifted [just before 4pm].’
Australian Maritime Safety Authority officials will meet the 112-passenger Coral Adventurer when it docks in Darwin on Sunday.
The summit of Cook’s Look on Lizard Island
The tourist was hiking with other cruise ship passengers to Cook’s Look summit on Lizard Island when she needed to stop and became lost on her way back to the vessel
Ayris and her partner Matthew (pictured), who were aboard SV Vellamo anchored near Lizard Island, were listening to emergency radio transmissions sent from the Coral Expeditions vessel
The cruise ship is currently in waters off Thursday Island in the Torres Strait as the voyage continues.
Coral Expeditions confirmed Ms Rees’s death to the Daily Mail.
‘The crew notified authorities that a woman was missing, and a search and rescue operation was launched on land and sea,’ chief executive Mark Fifield said.
‘Following the operation, Coral Expeditions was notified by Queensland Police that the woman had been found deceased on Lizard Island.
‘While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family.
‘The Coral team has been in contact with the woman’s family, and we will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process.
‘We are working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation. We are unable to comment further while this process is underway.’
Popular with divers, snorkellers and hikers, Lizard Island is one of the most remote tourism destinations on the Great Barrier Reef.
Cook’s Look is the highest point on the island and follows the footsteps of British explorer Captain James Cook, who is believed to be the first European to have trekked up the mountain in 1770 after his ship Endeavour struck a reef.
‘It covers four kilometres and at times is very steep so we recommend medium to high fitness and agility to safely undertake this hike,’ the Lizard Island website states.
‘Due to the time it takes to hike and the heat of the day, it is recommended that you hike early in the morning.
‘Those that have done this hike say it is challenging but incredibly rewarding.’
