A grandmother was discovered deceased on a secluded island after being inadvertently left behind by a cruise ship. Suzanne Rees, 80, was not noticed missing until she failed to show up for dinner, five hours after disappearing on Lizard Island within the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia. She had participated in a guided hike but fell ill and was left behind as the cruise ship departed for its next destination.
Family members of Ms. Rees criticized the lack of care and judgment by Coral Expeditions, a cruise company operated by the National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA) in Australia. This incident occurred during the Coral Adventurer’s initial stop on a 60-day voyage around Australia, a luxury holiday costing £40,000 per person. Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into why Ms. Rees was not accounted for before the ship’s departure.
Ms. Rees was found deceased 50 meters off the hiking trail leading to Cook’s Look, the highest summit on Lizard Island. The Coral Adventurer had set sail from Cairns on Friday and had anchored off Lizard Island for passengers to engage in activities like hiking and snorkeling before departing on Sunday afternoon.
Following the report of Ms. Rees being missing, a helicopter search was conducted over Lizard Island. The cruise ship, with 112 passengers onboard, returned to the shore to assist in the search efforts. Coral Expeditions’ CEO, Mark Fifield, confirmed the tragic news, expressing condolences to the family and pledging support during this difficult time.
Authorities, including the police, are investigating the incident, treating the death as sudden and non-suspicious. Tourism Tropical North Queensland extended sympathies to the family and is awaiting further details as the investigation progresses. A full report will be compiled for the coroner’s review.