Australian cruise cancelled after elderly woman left behind on island dies
Coral Expeditions said the rest of the 60-day tour of Australia was axed following the death of Suzanne Rees on Lizard Island
Suzanne Rees, 80, was hiking with fellow passengers of the Coral Adventure ship to a lookout spot on Lizard Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, on October 25.
Rees felt unwell and began heading back to the ship unescorted, according to national broadcaster ABC.
The cruise ship left the island that evening, without Rees on board, and only returned hours later in search of her. Her body was found the next day.
The rest of the tour was cancelled, Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield told ABC on Saturday, citing Rees’ death and “previous mechanical issues”.
He said the company prides itself on delivering “high-quality experiences”, but it was “increasingly apparent given the circumstances of the last week that we could not deliver on this promise”.