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A two-month cruise around the Australian Coast is being halted days after the death of an elderly female passenger who was left behind by the ship on a isolated coastal location.

Suzanne Rees had been trekking on the remote island with other travelers from the cruise ship, but broke off from the party for a pause. The liner left without her and returned several hours later after the personnel became aware the lady was not present.

A major hunt found her remains the next day.

Investigative bodies are looking into the event, alongside law enforcement and the official investigator.

The CEO of the shipping company said that travelers and crew on the vessel were told that the continuation of the voyage had been terminated due to the "unfortunate death and earlier technical problems".

In a statement, he added that travelers would be issued a total repayment, and said the organization was working "to coordinate the homeward trips of the travelers via chartered flights".

Regulatory bodies also published an latest announcement, and said they had "provided a notice to the Commander" preventing any further travelers from entering the ship.

The official said that they would visit the ship in the Australian city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Incidents

The vessel first departed the coastal city on 24 October, and was just two days into the expedition at the point of the elderly woman's demise. The remote island was the first stop on the voyage.

Passengers on board - who usually pay large sums of money to participate in the voyage - were taken there for a day trip with the option of walking or underwater exploration.

Family Response

The child of the elderly passenger said that her family was "stunned and saddened that the liner left the island after an organised tour without my mother".

In her statement, she described her parent as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a participant of a walking club.

"Based on limited information we have been provided, it seems that there was a failure of attention and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She continued that she hoped the investigation would be able to determine what "the company should have undertaken that might have preserved Mum's life".

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

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

"During some point in that process, or not long after, mum died, alone."

Organization Reaction

Through an announcement, the Head confirmed that the organization was "working closely with authorities to assist their inquiry".

He stated that the firm was "very regretful that this has happened" and had provided its full support to the relatives.

Shipping Sector Procedures

The ship caters for up to one hundred twenty guests with forty-six staff, according to official data. It was purpose-built to reach isolated regions of Australia's shoreline and is equipped with "small boats" - small boats used to transport individuals on land visits.

Events like this are infrequent, and liners have protocols to document which passengers are getting on or leaving, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard just isn't an possibility," a specialist remarked.

Vessel operators regard these processes with great importance and have "sophisticated systems in place to prevent such occurrences from occurring," the expert continued.

"This is most likely a stunning - and tragic - one-off."