An 80-year-old woman died after being left behind on a remote island during a cruise tour

Australian authorities are investigating a bizarre case – an 80-year-old solo female passenger on an AU$80,000 60-day luxury cruise around Australia was forgotten on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef during the first stop of the itinerary and was eventually found dead in the mountains.

She disappeared after leaving the group to climb the island during free time.

The incident occurred on October 26th, when the Coral Adventurer cruise ship, after departing from Cairns, made its first stop at Lizard Island, about 250 kilometers away, allowing passengers to disembark for free time. It is alleged that the female passenger left the group while climbing the island's highest peak, Cook Lookout Point, and the other members of the group returned to the cruise ship only to find she had not returned. There are reports that she may have fallen off a cliff, but the exact cause of death is still under investigation.

Cruise crew were initially unaware that the woman was still on Lizard Island and had not boarded the ship. (Internet) (Internet) Cruise ship staff were initially unaware that the woman remained on Lizard Island and had not boarded. (Internet) Passengers lamented, "She lay there all alone all day."

A passenger stated that the cruise ship did not take attendance upon boarding, and that it "quickly weighed anchor as soon as the last batch of passengers boarded." The woman was only discovered to have fallen several hours later, and a rescue helicopter searched until the early hours of the following day before finally finding her body. Passengers lamented, "She lay there all alone all day." The Lizard Island website clearly states that the route is "4 kilometers long and partially steep, requiring moderate to high physical fitness."

Industry shock: How could so many passengers not be taken by roll call?

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) stated that it is investigating the incident. A cruise ship expert expressed disbelief, saying, "A cruise ship with 120 passengers didn't take attendance upon boarding? All cruise ships should have a card-swiping system to track passenger movements." The operator, Coral Expeditions, issued a statement saying it is "fully cooperating with the police investigation" and has contacted the deceased's family to provide assistance.