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One 60-day cruise circling Australia has been cancelled following the death of an older female passenger who was abandoned by the vessel on a isolated tropical isle.

The elderly woman had been hiking on the remote island with other travelers from the Coral Adventurer, but parted ways from the group for a rest. The liner sailed away leaving her and went back several hours later after the crew discovered the woman was missing.

An extensive hunt found her remains the subsequent day.

Officials are looking into the incident, alongside police and the state coroner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that guests and staff on the ship were notified that the remainder of the journey had been called off due to the "tragic passing and prior engine troubles".

In a statement, he added that passengers would be given a full refund, and said the operator was working "to organize the homeward trips of the travelers via private aircraft".

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

The spokesperson said that they would visit the liner in the port city upon its arrival.

Sequence of Occurrences

The vessel initially left the coastal city on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the expedition at the point of the senior passenger's passing. Lizard Island was the opening port on the voyage.

Guests on the ship - who generally pay tens of thousands of currency to take part in the expedition - were ferried there for a shore visit with the option of walking or snorkelling.

Family Statement

The child of the elderly passenger said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the vessel left the island after an organised outing without my mum".

Via her announcement, she portrayed her mum as an "energetic elderly person" who was a participant of a walking club.

"From the little information we have been told, it looks that there was a breakdown of responsibility and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she wished the inquiry would be able to determine what "the company should have undertaken that might have protected Mum's life".

"We understand from the authorities that it was a very hot day, and mother took sick on the mountain ascent," she stated.

"Officials suggested her to return, unescorted. Then the vessel left, reportedly without conducting a passenger count.

"At some stage in that chain of events, or shortly after, mother died, alone."

Organization Response

In a statement, the Head confirmed that the company was "cooperating fully with officials to assist their inquiry".

He said that the firm was "extremely apologetic that this has occurred" and had offered its total backing to the family.

Cruise Industry Practices

The ship accommodates up to 120 guests with forty-six personnel, according to company data. It was specially constructed to reach remote locations of the nation's shoreline and is equipped with "small boats" - compact vessels used to ferry travelers on land visits.

Incidents such as this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have systems to record which travelers are getting on or getting off, according to industry experts.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] on the ship really isn't an option," an authority remarked.

Vessel operators consider these methods extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such incidents from taking place," the authority further stated.

"This seems to be most likely a stunning - and unfortunate - isolated incident."