On October 24, the expedition cruise ship Coral Adventurer set sail from Cairns on a 60-day luxury voyage around Australia. One day later, at the ship’s first stop, at Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, things went tragically wrong. Suzanne Rees, an 80-year-old passenger, died after the ship sailed, leaving her alone on the remote island.

Passengers on the ship were offered snorkeling and island hiking excursions. Rees joined a hike to Cook’s Look, a lookout on top of a hill named after Captain James Cook, who passed by the island in 1770. 

The hike is described in a cruise brochure as  “a very difficult hike requiring a high level of fitness and good balance“. It was a hot and humid day — about 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit). While on the climb, Suzanne Rees felt ill and was asked to head back down to the ship, unescorted.

When the Coral Adventurer departed Lizard Island that evening, at sunset according to witnesses who have spoken to the ABC, Suzanne Rees was not on board. She had never returned to the boat from the hike that day. The ship left without her and returned several hours later after the crew realised the woman was missing.

A major search operation found her body the following day. Tragically, it appears she died alone, somewhere on the way back down the peak.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is investigating the incident, alongside Queensland Police and the state coroner.

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 coordinate 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 Coral Adventurer has a 120-passenger capacity. Balcony rooms on the cruise were priced at $86,400 per person, according to Clean Cruising, with a 46-member crew on board the 94.5-metre purpose-built vessel.

Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post.