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One two-month voyage circling the Land Down Under is being halted days after the death of an senior female passenger who was left behind by the cruise liner on a isolated tropical isle.

The passenger had been hiking on Lizard Island with shipmates from the cruise ship, but separated from the excursion for a rest. The vessel departed without her and came back after some time after the personnel realised the passenger was missing.

A major rescue mission located her body the next day.

Investigative bodies are investigating the incident, alongside police and the official investigator.

Chief Executive of the cruise operator announced that travelers and personnel on the ship were informed that the continuation of the journey had been terminated due to the "sad loss and prior technical problems".

In a statement, he further stated that passengers would be issued a total repayment, and said the operator was working "to organize the travel back of the travelers via private aircraft".

Authorities also issued an latest announcement, and said they had "issued a directive to the Captain" banning any additional guests from entering the liner.

The official said that they would attend the liner in Cairns upon its coming back.

Timeline of Incidents

The ship initially left the coastal city on October 24th, and was just two days into the journey at the point of the senior passenger's death. Lizard Island was the first stop on the journey.

Passengers on the ship - who usually pay tens of thousands of money to take part in the expedition - were transported there for a shore visit with the option of walking or snorkelling.

Relatives Statement

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her loved ones was "stunned and grieved that the ship left the island after an scheduled outing without my mum".

In her statement, she described her mother as an "vigorous 80-year-old" who was a participant of a bushwalking club.

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

She continued that she hoped the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have done that might have preserved Mum's existence".

"According to reports from the investigators that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and she fell ill on the hill climb," she revealed.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the boat departed, reportedly without conducting a headcount.

"At some stage in that process, or not long after, she died, without company."

Organization Response

Via official communication, the CEO verified that the organization was "working closely with officials to aid their inquiry".

He stated that the firm was "very regretful that this has transpired" and had provided its complete assistance to the family.

Shipping Sector Standards

The liner accommodates up to a hundred twenty travelers with nearly fifty staff, according to corporate data. It was specifically designed to reach remote areas of Australia's coast and is fitted with "small boats" - minor craft used to transport individuals on day excursions.

Occurrences such as this are infrequent, and cruise ships have procedures to document which individuals are getting on or getting off, according to travel authorities.

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

Shipping companies regard these processes extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to avoid such incidents from taking place," the authority added.

"This appears to be presumably a surprising - and tragic - isolated incident."