Elderly Woman Dies After Cruise Ship Leaves Her Behind on Island
An Australian cruise line is facing backlash after an 80-year-old passenger was found dead on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef when her ship, Coral Adventurer, departed without her following a guided hike.
According to The Australian, the victim, Suzanne Rees of Sydney, was on the second day of a circumnavigation cruise around the continent when she went missing. She was reported absent at dinner—five hours after the ship had already left the island.
A search helicopter discovered her body the following day, about 55 yards from a hiking trail leading to the island’s mountain lookout. Authorities said Rees appeared to have fallen off a cliff and ruled the case a “non-suspicious death.”
Rees’s daughter, Katherine Rees, criticized the cruise line for negligence, stating, “We are shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organized excursion without my mum. From what we’ve been told, there seems to have been a complete failure of care and common sense.”
She added that her mother reportedly felt unwell during the hike and was told to descend the hill unescorted. “The ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count,” she said. “At some point, or shortly after, Mum died—alone.”
Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions, expressed condolences and confirmed that the company is fully cooperating with authorities. “We have expressed our heartfelt condolences to the Rees family and remain deeply sorry that this has occurred,” he said in a statement.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is currently investigating the incident, which has raised questions about passenger safety and accountability during shore excursions.
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