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One two-month cruise through Australia is being halted following the fatal incident of an senior lady who was abandoned by the ship on a distant coastal location.

The elderly woman had been walking on Lizard Island with other travelers from the cruise ship, but parted ways from the party for a pause. The liner sailed away leaving her and came back after some time after the personnel became aware the passenger was not present.

An extensive search operation located her body the next day.

Investigative bodies are examining the event, in coordination with investigators and the state coroner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that guests and personnel on the vessel were informed that the continuation of the voyage had been terminated due to the "tragic passing and previous technical problems".

In a statement, he added that guests would be provided a complete reimbursement, and said the organization was working "to coordinate the homeward trips of the individuals via chartered flights".

Officials also released an updated statement, and said they had "provided a order to the Master" preventing any additional guests from getting on the liner.

The spokesperson said that they would inspect the liner in Cairns upon its coming back.

Sequence of Incidents

The liner initially left Cairns on the 24th of October, and was merely two days into the expedition at the time of the 80-year-old's death. The remote island was the initial destination on the journey.

Passengers on the vessel - who typically pay tens of thousands of currency to participate in the voyage - were ferried there for a day trip with the choice of hiking or underwater exploration.

Relatives Response

The daughter of the victim said that her relatives was "surprised and grieved that the ship left Lizard Island after an organised tour without my mum".

In her statement, she portrayed her mother as an "vigorous octogenarian" who was a participant of a bushwalking group.

"From the little details we have been provided, it appears that there was a failure of responsibility and ordinary reasoning," she stated.

She added that she hoped the investigation would be able to identify what "the company should have performed that might have saved Mum's existence".

"Based on information from the police that it was a very hot afternoon, and mum took sick on the hill climb," she revealed.

"Officials suggested her to return, alone. Then the ship departed, seemingly without doing a passenger count.

"During some point in that process, or not long after, she passed away, without company."

Operator Position

Via official communication, the CEO confirmed that the organization was "cooperating fully with authorities to assist their investigation".

He said that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has happened" and had extended its full support to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Practices

The ship caters for up to a hundred twenty passengers with forty-six staff, according to corporate information. It was purpose-built to access remote locations of Australia's shoreline and is outfitted with "auxiliary vessels" - minor craft used to ferry travelers on day excursions.

Incidents like this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have procedures to track which travelers are embarking or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] onboard just isn't an possibility," a specialist remarked.

Cruise lines regard these methods very seriously and have "sophisticated systems in place to prevent such occurrences from happening," the expert added.

"This is presumably a shocking - and unfortunate - single occurrence."