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One 60-day voyage through the Australian Coast was terminated days after the fatal incident of an elderly woman who was left behind by the cruise liner on a isolated island.

The elderly woman had been hiking on the tropical location with other travelers from the cruise ship, but parted ways from the excursion for a break. The liner departed without her and went back later that day after the personnel became aware the lady was not present.

A major rescue mission found her body the following day.

Authorities are investigating the tragedy, together with police and the medical examiner.

Head of the shipping company announced that passengers and staff on the ship were told that the continuation of the voyage had been terminated due to the "sad loss and previous mechanical issues".

Via official communication, he added that travelers would be given a full refund, and said the operator was working "to organize the travel back of the travelers via private aircraft".

Authorities also issued an revised statement, and said they had "provided a notice to the Captain" preventing any further travelers from getting on the ship.

The representative said that they would inspect the liner in the port city upon its return.

Sequence of Incidents

The ship first departed Cairns on October 24th, and was only 48 hours into the journey at the point of the senior passenger's passing. The tropical location was the opening port on the itinerary.

Guests on the vessel - who usually pay substantial amounts of money to take part in the expedition - were taken there for a shore visit with the choice of walking or underwater exploration.

Next of Kin Reaction

The child of the victim said that her loved ones was "surprised and saddened that the liner left Lizard Island after an planned excursion without my mum".

In her statement, she portrayed her parent as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a member of a bushwalking group.

"Based on limited information we have been told, it looks that there was a breakdown of attention and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she hoped the investigation would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have undertaken that might have saved Mum's existence".

"We understand from the investigators that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and mother took sick on the mountain ascent," she explained.

"Officials suggested her to return, alone. Then the ship left, seemingly without doing a roll call.

"During some point in that process, or soon after, mother passed away, without company."

Operator Response

Via official communication, the CEO confirmed that the company was "cooperating fully with authorities to support their inquiry".

He said that the company was "extremely apologetic that this has occurred" and had extended its full support to the family.

Maritime Business Practices

The vessel caters for up to one hundred twenty travelers with nearly fifty staff, according to official information. It was specially constructed to enter distant areas of Australia's coastline and is outfitted with "small boats" - small boats used to ferry individuals on land visits.

Occurrences such as this are rare, and cruise ships have procedures to record which individuals are embarking or disembarking, according to travel authorities.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] aboard really isn't an possibility," an authority remarked.

Cruise lines regard these procedures extremely carefully and have "sophisticated systems in place to avoid such events from happening," the authority further stated.

"This seems to be most likely a shocking - and tragic - single occurrence."