Elderly Woman Dies After Being Left Behind on Remote Island by Cruise Ship

An 80-year-old Australian woman, Suzanne Rees, has tragically died after being left behind on Lizard Island, a remote stop along the Great Barrier Reef, during a luxury cruise.

Rees, from New South Wales, had joined a hiking excursion with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer, but failed to return to the vessel before it departed. When the ship continued its journey, no one realized she was missing.

Lizard Island was the first destination on a 60-day cruise around Australia, with balcony cabins priced at approximately $86,400 per person, according to The Guardian.

Authorities have classified Rees’s death as “sudden and non-suspicious,” yet her family insists the cruise company failed in its duty of care.

Her daughter, Katherine Rees, expressed heartbreak and disbelief in an interview with The Australian:

“From what we’ve been told, it seems there was a complete lack of care and common sense. It was an extremely hot day, and Mum became unwell during the hill climb. She was told to return to the base—alone. Then the ship left without conducting a passenger count. At some point after that, she died, completely by herself.”

Katherine added that the family is hoping for a coronial investigation to determine what could have been done to prevent her mother’s death.

According to Queensland Police, the Coral Adventurer—a 306-foot vessel carrying up to 120 passengers and 48 crew—reported Rees missing on October 25. A rescue helicopter was deployed early the next morning, and her body was found later that day on the island.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority confirmed an ongoing investigation into how Rees went unaccounted for during boarding.

Mark Fifield, Chief Executive of Coral Expeditions, issued a public apology earlier this week:

“We are deeply saddened by the death of a passenger during an excursion to Lizard Island. A search and rescue operation was immediately launched, but tragically, we were later informed that she had been found deceased. We are cooperating fully with authorities and offering support to her family.”

Rees’s death has sparked calls for stricter safety protocols on cruise excursions, with many questioning how such an oversight could happen on a high-end voyage.