Daughter blames cruise operator after 80-year-old’s death on remote island

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The daughter of an aged girl who died on a distant Australian island after being left behind by her cruise ship has accused the operator of “failure of care and customary sense”.

Eighty-year-old Suzanne Rees was participating in a 60-day cruise round Australia and was on the second day of the journey when she disembarked together with another passengers at Lizard Island on the Nice Barrier Reef to hike up the island’s highest peak.

Her daughter Katherine Rees has since tried to piece collectively the sequence of occasions of Saturday on the cruise ship Coral Adventurer.

Rees reportedly grew to become unwell through the trek.

“From the little we’ve been advised, evidently there was a failure of care and customary sense,” she stated.

“We perceive from the police that it was a extremely popular day, and Mum felt sick on the hill climb. She was requested to go down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently with out doing a passenger rely. For the duration of that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone.”

Katherine stated the household was “shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organised tour with out my mum, Suzanne”.

When the Coral Adventurer departed the island later that afternoon, nobody on board appeared to understand that Rees had not returned. Her physique was found the next day throughout an aerial and floor search coordinated by the Australian Maritime Security Authority (Amsa) and Queensland police.

In a press release, the protection authority stated: “Amsa will make an evaluation as as to whether there was any non-compliance related to the passenger not being counted onto the ship and, if obligatory, will take motion to deal with them.

“Amsa affords its condolences to the household and family members of the one that has handed. Our ideas are with them throughout this troublesome time.”

The daughter described her mom as an “energetic 80-year-old” who loved gardening and bushwalking.

Satellite tv for pc monitoring information indicated that the ship initially sailed away from Lizard Island earlier than turning again later that evening. Authorities had been notified of the lacking passenger round 9pm native time on Saturday, prompting a search that concluded early Sunday when Rees’s physique was discovered on the island.

Coral Expeditions’ chief government, Mark Fifield, stated: “We’re working intently with Queensland Police and different authorities to assist their investigation. We’re unable to remark additional whereas this course of is beneath approach.”

Ms Rees has referred to as for a coronial inquiry into her mom’s dying. “I hope that the coronial inquiry will discover out what the corporate ought to have finished that may have saved Mum’s life.”