An 80-year-old woman named Suzanne Rees was discovered deceased on a secluded island after being inadvertently left behind by a cruise ship. Ms. Rees was reported missing only when she failed to show up for dinner, approximately five hours after she disappeared on Lizard Island in Queensland, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. She had been part of an organized hike but fell ill, and the cruise ship departed for its next destination while she remained on the island.
The family of Ms. Rees criticized Coral Expeditions, operated by Australia’s National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA), for what they deemed a lack of care and judgment. The incident occurred during the initial stop of the Coral Adventurer’s 60-day voyage around Australia, a high-priced holiday at £40,000 per person. An investigation involving multiple agencies will investigate the circumstances surrounding Ms. Rees’ situation, including allegations that a passenger count was not conducted before the ship left.
Ms. Rees’s body was found 50 meters off the hiking trail leading to Cook’s Look, the highest summit on Lizard Island. The Coral Adventurer had departed Cairns for the trip on a Friday afternoon and had anchored off Lizard Island the following day, allowing passengers to explore the island before departing on Sunday.
Following Ms. Rees’ reported disappearance, a helicopter conducted an aerial search over Lizard Island while the 112-passenger ship returned to assist in the search efforts. Coral Expeditions’ CEO, Mark Fifield, confirmed the tragic news to the media, expressing condolences to the family and stating their cooperation with authorities in the ongoing investigation. Queensland Police indicated that the death was being treated as sudden and non-suspicious, with a report to be submitted to the coroner as part of the process.