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An extensive two-month cruise circling Australia was terminated following the fatal incident of an older woman who was left behind by the vessel on a isolated coastal location.

The elderly woman had been trekking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but separated from the group for a rest. The vessel sailed away leaving her and came back later that day after the ship staff discovered the woman was unaccounted for.

A major rescue mission found her body the subsequent day.

Authorities are examining the tragedy, together with investigators and the state coroner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that travelers and personnel on the ship were notified that the rest of the journey had been called off due to the "tragic passing and previous technical problems".

In a statement, he mentioned that travelers would be provided a total repayment, and said the operator was working "to arrange the travel back of the passengers via private aircraft".

Regulatory bodies also issued an latest announcement, and said they had "provided a notice to the Captain" prohibiting any further travelers from boarding the vessel.

The official said that they would attend the liner in the port city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Events

The vessel initially left the coastal city on the 24th of October, and was merely two days into the voyage at the point of the senior passenger's demise. Lizard Island was the opening port on the itinerary.

Travelers on the vessel - who generally pay tens of thousands of dollars to participate in the expedition - were taken there for a shore visit with the choice of walking or underwater exploration.

Family Response

The child of the victim said that her loved ones was "surprised and grieved that the ship left Lizard Island after an organised tour without my parent".

In her statement, she described her mother as an "active octogenarian" who was a affiliate of a bushwalking organization.

"Based on limited facts we have been told, it appears that there was a breakdown of attention and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She continued that she hoped the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have performed that might have saved Mother's life".

"We understand from the authorities that it was a exceptionally warm period, and mum took sick on the uphill trek," she explained.

"Officials suggested her to go back, alone. Then the boat left, apparently without doing a passenger count.

"During some point in that chain of events, or not long after, mother succumbed, by herself."

Organization Response

Via official communication, the CEO confirmed that the operator was "working closely with authorities to assist their investigation".

He said that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has happened" and had extended its complete assistance to the family.

Maritime Business Procedures

The liner serves up to 120 passengers with 46 crew, according to company data. It was specially constructed to enter remote areas of the Australian coast and is fitted with "small boats" - small boats used to transport travelers on shore trips.

Occurrences such as this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have systems to track which passengers are getting on or leaving, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard simply isn't an option," a specialist remarked.

Shipping companies take these methods very seriously and have "sophisticated systems in place to avoid such events from happening," the authority added.

"This seems to be most likely a surprising - and sad - one-off."