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A 60-day voyage circling the Land Down Under has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an older female passenger who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a distant coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been hiking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the vessel, but parted ways from the party for a rest. The ship sailed away leaving her and went back after some time after the personnel realised the woman was unaccounted for.

An extensive search operation found her person the subsequent day.

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

Chief Executive of the cruise operator said that passengers and crew on the ship were notified that the remainder of the journey had been called off due to the "tragic passing and prior technical problems".

In a statement, he further stated that guests would be issued a total repayment, and said the organization was working "to organize the return journeys of the passengers via specially arranged planes".

Officials also released an latest announcement, and said they had "issued a order to the Captain" preventing any further travelers from getting on the ship.

The spokesperson said that they would visit the ship in the port city upon its coming back.

Chronology of Occurrences

The vessel initially left the Australian port on October 24th, and was merely two days into the voyage at the point of the 80-year-old's passing. Lizard Island was the opening port on the journey.

Passengers on the vessel - who usually pay large sums of dollars to take part in the expedition - were ferried there for a shore visit with the option of walking or underwater exploration.

Family Reaction

The daughter of the deceased woman said that her loved ones was "shocked and distressed that the ship left the island after an organised outing without my mum".

Through her comments, she characterized her mother as an "vigorous elderly person" who was a participant of a walking organization.

"According to scant details we have been told, it appears that there was a failure of responsibility and basic judgment," she said.

She continued that she wished the inquiry would be able to identify what "the company should have done that might have preserved Mother's being".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a extremely warm day, and she fell ill on the hill climb," she revealed.

"Officials suggested her to head down, alone. Then the boat sailed away, seemingly without conducting a headcount.

"During some point in that process, or shortly after, mother died, alone."

Operator Position

In a statement, the CEO confirmed that the company was "working closely with authorities to assist their inquiry".

He stated that the organization was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had offered its complete assistance to the relatives.

Maritime Business Procedures

The vessel serves up to a hundred twenty passengers with nearly fifty staff, according to company data. It was specially constructed to enter remote locations of the Australian shoreline and is equipped with "small boats" - minor craft used to ferry passengers on shore trips.

Incidents of this nature are rare, and cruise ships have protocols to record which individuals are boarding or leaving, according to travel authorities.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] on the ship just isn't an option," one expert remarked.

Shipping companies regard these processes with great importance and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such occurrences from occurring," the expert further stated.

"This appears to be presumably a surprising - and sad - one-off."