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A extended voyage through the Australian Coast has been cancelled following the tragic passing of an senior woman who was abandoned by the ship on a remote coastal location.

The passenger had been trekking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the vessel, but separated from the party for a break. The vessel left without her and went back after some time after the ship staff discovered the woman was unaccounted for.

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

Investigative bodies are investigating the event, together with investigators and the state coroner.

The CEO of the cruise operator said that travelers and personnel on the vessel were notified that the rest of the journey had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and prior engine troubles".

Through an announcement, he added that passengers would be provided a full refund, and said the company was working "to coordinate the return journeys of the passengers via specially arranged planes".

Authorities also issued an updated communication, and said they had "issued a directive to the Commander" preventing any additional guests from getting on the vessel.

The representative said that they would attend the ship in the port city upon its coming back.

Chronology of Occurrences

The vessel first departed the coastal city on October 24th, and was only 48 hours into the journey at the time of the senior passenger's demise. The tropical location was the first stop on the itinerary.

Guests on the vessel - who typically pay large sums of money to join the cruise - were taken there for a daily excursion with the possibility of hiking or snorkelling.

Next of Kin Reaction

The child of the deceased woman said that her family was "surprised and saddened that the vessel left Lizard Island after an planned excursion without my parent".

In her statement, she described her mother as an "energetic elderly person" who was a member of a bushwalking group.

"Based on limited facts we have been told, it looks that there was a lapse of responsibility and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she wished the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have done that might have saved Mum's existence".

"We understand from the investigators that it was a exceptionally warm period, and mum took sick on the mountain ascent," she revealed.

"Officials suggested her to go back, without accompaniment. Then the vessel departed, reportedly without doing a headcount.

"At a certain moment in that process, or not long after, mum died, alone."

Company Response

Through an announcement, the CEO verified that the organization was "cooperating fully with officials to support their examination".

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

Cruise Industry Procedures

The vessel accommodates up to 120 travelers with nearly fifty staff, according to company details. It was specially constructed to enter remote areas of the nation's coastline and is fitted with "tenders" - minor craft used to ferry individuals on shore trips.

Occurrences of this nature are rare, and passenger vessels have protocols to record which travelers are getting on or disembarking, according to travel authorities.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] onboard simply isn't an option," a specialist stated.

Cruise lines consider these procedures with great importance and have "sophisticated systems in place to stop such events from occurring," the expert added.

"This seems to be probably a shocking - and unfortunate - single occurrence."