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An extensive two-month journey through Australia is being halted in the wake of the death of an older woman who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a distant island.

The elderly woman had been hiking on the remote island with shipmates from the cruise ship, but parted ways from the excursion for a break. The ship left without her and came back later that day after the personnel discovered the passenger was missing.

A large-scale rescue mission discovered her body the next day.

Officials are investigating the tragedy, in coordination with investigators and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that travelers and crew on the vessel were notified that the remainder of the journey had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and previous engine troubles".

In a statement, he mentioned that travelers would be provided a total repayment, and said the company was working "to organize the travel back of the passengers via chartered flights".

Regulatory bodies also published an updated statement, and said they had "delivered a directive to the Master" preventing any additional guests from entering the liner.

The official said that they would visit the liner in Cairns upon its arrival.

Sequence of Occurrences

The vessel originally sailed from the coastal city on 24 October, and was just two days into the voyage at the time of the elderly woman's death. The tropical location was the opening port on the journey.

Travelers on the ship - who usually pay tens of thousands of money to participate in the cruise - were ferried there for a shore visit with the choice of hiking or snorkeling.

Family Reaction

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the liner left Lizard Island after an planned tour without my mother".

Via her announcement, she characterized her parent as an "active 80-year-old" who was a affiliate of a bushwalking group.

"According to scant facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a lapse of care and ordinary reasoning," she mentioned.

She added that she desired the investigation would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have done that might have saved Mum's life".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a very hot day, and mum became unwell on the uphill trek," she revealed.

"She was asked her to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, seemingly without conducting a headcount.

"At some stage in that sequence, or soon after, mum passed away, by herself."

Operator Response

Via official communication, the Chief Executive verified that the operator was "cooperating fully with officials to support their inquiry".

He said that the company was "extremely apologetic that this has transpired" and had provided its full support to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Procedures

The ship caters for up to one hundred twenty passengers with 46 crew, according to company information. It was specially constructed to access remote locations of the nation's shoreline and is fitted with "small boats" - small boats used to take passengers on day excursions.

Occurrences like this are uncommon, and cruise ships have systems to document which travelers are getting on or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] aboard simply isn't an option," an authority stated.

Cruise lines consider these methods very seriously and have "clever tech in place to prevent such occurrences from occurring," the expert continued.

"This seems to be most likely a shocking - and tragic - one-off."