Woman dies after being ‘forgotten’ by cruise ship on Australian island

Lizard Island is about 250km north of Cairns, Australia Getty Images via BBC An 80-year-old Australian woman was found dead on an island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after being left behind by the cruise ship she was traveling on. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp The woman disembarked from the Coral Adventurer on Saturday (25) to walk on Lizard Island, 250 km north of the city of Cairns, in the Australian state of Queensland. She was accompanied by a group of fellow travelers and is believed to have separated from the group to rest. The ship left the island around sunset and returned hours later when the crew realized the woman had not returned to the ship. A major search operation found his body on Sunday (26) morning. No further details were released. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said it was investigating the case and would meet with the ship’s crew later this week. The woman’s name was not revealed. What is known is that it was the first stop on a 60-day cruise around Australia. Tickets for the trip cost tens of thousands of dollars. She went hiking with a group of people to the island’s highest peak, Cook’s Look. And, according to the Courier Mail newspaper, the woman decided to stop to rest and did not return to the ship, which left without her afterwards. Traci Ayris was sailing near the island last weekend. She told Australian public radio and television ABC that she saw a helicopter with a flashlight while searching a hiking trail on the island around midnight on Saturday. She claims that around seven people with flashlights went to the island for the search, which was suspended around 3am on Sunday (3pm on Saturday, in Brasília). A helicopter returned on Sunday morning (local time) when the body was apparently found. “We knew she was dead because they immediately called back everyone who was involved in the search,” she told ABC. “And no one went to the point where the helicopter was flying over until the end of that day, when the police arrived.” The incident happened on the first stop of a 60-day trip around Australia Coral Expeditions via BBC An Amsa spokesperson said the ship’s captain first alerted the entity about the missing woman around 9pm on Saturday. The organization said it will work with other relevant agencies to investigate the case and that it takes the safety of passengers and crew on board commercial ships seriously. Ayris also highlighted how upsetting the incident certainly was for the crew and passengers. “It was very sad that this tragedy occurred in that paradise”, she laments. “It was supposed to be a happy time for that lovely lady.” A report into the woman’s “sudden and non-suspicious” death will be prepared for the coroner, according to Queensland police. Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield said staff had made contact with the woman’s family, offering support in relation to her “tragic death”. “Investigations into the incident continue, but we are deeply sorry that this occurred and we offer our full support to the woman’s family,” Fifield said. “We have worked closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to assist with the investigation. We are unable to comment further as the process is ongoing.” The Coral Adventurer has capacity for up to 120 passengers and 46 crew, according to the company’s website. It was specifically built to provide access to remote areas of Australia’s coastline and is equipped with small boats, which are used to take passengers on excursions throughout the day. After the incident, the ship continued its journey to Darwin, in the Australian Northern Territory. VIDEOS: trending on g1 See videos that are trending on g1

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