brisbane, australia
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A cruise passenger in his 80s who had just embarked on a 60-day luxury tour of Australia has been found dead stranded on a tropical island.
The passenger, whose name has not been released, was reported missing to authorities on Saturday night, and an inspection of the small cruise ship Coral Adventurer confirmed there were no passengers on board.
The ship docked early Saturday at Lizard Island, a resort island about 30 kilometers (19 miles) off the coast of Queensland, known for its natural beauty and luxury accommodation.
Queensland Police confirmed a woman’s body had been found on Lizard Island on Sunday, describing the death as “sudden and non-suspicious”.
However, it is unclear when she died and why no one noticed that she was not on the ship when it left Lizard Island.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said the investigation would include “the circumstances surrounding why the passengers may not have been accounted for while on board”.
According to records, the Coral Adventurer left Cairns Port on October 24, carrying 120 passengers and 46 crew members.
Lizard Island was one of the first stops on the A$80,000 ($50,000) cruise, which will take passengers around the country via the northern tip of Cape York to the coast of Western Australia.
Cruise company Coral Expeditions promotes Lizard Island as a place where passengers can swim, snorkel, and hike to Cook’s Look for panoramic views.
It is not clear whether the elderly woman participated in any of the advertised activities while on the island.
The company has been operating for over 40 years and offers cruises within Australia and beyond. Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield said in a statement that the crew launched a “land and sea” search after discovering the woman was missing.
AMSA said it launched a search with Queensland Police after the ship’s captain reported the woman missing at 9pm on Saturday.
Queensland Police said the woman went missing “after missing a vessel off the coast of Queensland early Saturday.”
AMSA said the crew will be questioned when the ship docks in Darwin. According to the port arrival schedule, the ship is scheduled to arrive on November 2nd.
Coral Expeditions’ Fifield said the company “deeply regrets that this happened.”
“The Coral team is in contact with the woman’s family and will continue to provide support to them through this difficult process.”
