Thriller in Australia: 80-year-old cruise ship passenger forgotten on an island and found dead. An unbelievable story that unfolded in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
A story that is hard to comprehend unfolded in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef. An elderly woman was left alone on a remote island when the cruise ship she was traveling on left without her. The end was tragic.
The incident occurred on Lizard Island, a place known for its natural beauty and its inaccessible trails.
The unfortunate woman was participating in a hike with other passengers of the Coral Adventurer, a small cruise ship that conducts exploration trips around Australia. At some point, she moved away from the group to rest, but never returned.
Just before nightfall, the ship departed believing everyone had boarded, apparently without a headcount being conducted. A few hours later, the crew realized one passenger was missing and hastily returned to the island.
All night, teams searched the trails, with a helicopter illuminating the area and volunteers holding flashlights. The night had fallen heavily upon the island, and yet the helicopter continued to light up the trails as if searching for a last hope. On Sunday morning, the body of the unfortunate woman was found, with no details released about the cause of death. As everything indicates, her death was not suspicious.
The woman, whose name has not been announced, was on the first leg of a luxurious 60-day cruise around Australia, with tickets costing tens of thousands of dollars. According to the Courier Mail newspaper, she had started climbing with other passengers to the highest point of the island, Cook’s Look, before deciding to stop for a rest.
As a spokesperson for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) stated, an investigation into the circumstances of the incident has begun and a meeting with the ship’s crew is expected within the week. “The safety of passengers and crew is always a priority,” he stated.
Eyewitnesses describe scenes of anguish and silent despair on the island. Traci Ayris, who was sailing near the area, told the state broadcaster ABC that she saw a helicopter flying with a spotlight over the trails around midnight.
“It was obvious that something very serious was happening. When the helicopter returned the next morning, we all understood it had ended badly,” she said characteristically.
The company Coral Expeditions issued a statement expressing deep sorrow for the incident. Chief Executive Mark Fifield stated that he is in contact with the woman’s family and full support is being provided.
“We are devastated. We are cooperating fully with the Authorities and cannot provide further details while the investigation is ongoing,” he mentioned.
The Coral Adventurer can carry up to 120 passengers with a crew of 46 people and has small boats (tenders) for excursions to remote areas. After the tragic incident, it continued its journey to Darwin as normal.
Some might say it was an unfortunate incident, a tragic mistake during an idyllic journey. However, for those of us who have traveled the seas for years, we know that nothing should be left to chance. A small gap in procedures can cost a life. And this incident reminds us of that in the harshest way.
