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A two-month journey circling Australia is being halted days after the death of an older woman who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote coastal location.

The passenger had been trekking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the vessel, but broke off from the group for a rest. The ship departed without her and went back several hours later after the personnel discovered the lady was missing.

A large-scale rescue mission found her body the subsequent day.

Investigative bodies are looking into the tragedy, in coordination with police and the official investigator.

Head of the voyage organizer stated that travelers and crew on the ship were informed that the continuation of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and earlier engine troubles".

Through an announcement, he added that travelers would be provided a full refund, and said the operator was working "to organize the return journeys of the travelers via chartered flights".

Authorities also published an latest announcement, and said they had "issued a directive to the Captain" banning any further travelers from entering the vessel.

The official said that they would inspect the vessel in Cairns upon its coming back.

Sequence of Incidents

The vessel initially left Cairns on October 24th, and was merely two days into the voyage at the time of the elderly woman's passing. The tropical location was the opening port on the voyage.

Guests on board - who generally pay tens of thousands of money to join the cruise - were ferried there for a daily excursion with the possibility of walking or snorkelling.

Relatives Reaction

The offspring of the deceased woman said that her loved ones was "surprised and grieved that the liner left the island after an scheduled outing without my mum".

In her statement, she portrayed her mother as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a affiliate of a walking organization.

"Based on limited details we have been informed, it seems that there was a breakdown of responsibility and basic judgment," she said.

She further stated that she desired the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have done that might have protected Her life".

"Based on information from the authorities that it was a exceptionally warm day, and mother took sick on the hill climb," she stated.

"Officials suggested her to go back, unescorted. Then the boat left, seemingly without conducting a headcount.

"During some point in that sequence, or not long after, she died, by herself."

Operator Position

Through an announcement, the CEO confirmed that the organization was "working closely with investigators to support their investigation".

He said that the company was "extremely apologetic that this has happened" and had provided its total backing to the relatives.

Shipping Sector Practices

The liner serves up to 120 travelers with 46 crew, according to official details. It was specially constructed to reach isolated areas of the Australian shoreline and is equipped with "small boats" - minor craft used to transport individuals on shore trips.

Events of this nature are uncommon, and passenger vessels have systems to document which individuals are boarding or getting off, according to industry experts.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] on the ship simply isn't an option," one expert remarked.

Shipping companies consider these methods very seriously and have "clever tech in place to prevent such incidents from taking place," the expert further stated.

"This seems to be presumably a surprising - and sad - isolated incident."