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A extended voyage around the Land Down Under has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an older female passenger who was abandoned by the ship on a remote coastal location.

The passenger had been walking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer, but broke off from the excursion for a rest. The vessel departed without her and returned several hours later after the ship staff realised the woman was missing.

A large-scale rescue mission discovered her body the next day.

Officials are investigating the incident, together with police and the official investigator.

Head of the cruise operator said that travelers and crew on the Coral Adventurer were told that the rest of the cruise had been cancelled due to the "unfortunate death and prior mechanical issues".

Through an announcement, he added that travelers would be issued a total repayment, and said the organization was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the travelers via chartered flights".

Officials also released an revised statement, and said they had "delivered a directive to the Commander" banning any additional guests from boarding the vessel.

The spokesperson said that they would visit the vessel in Cairns upon its return.

Chronology of Occurrences

The vessel initially left the Australian port on October 24th, and was just two days into the expedition at the moment of the senior passenger's passing. Lizard Island was the opening port on the itinerary.

Passengers on the vessel - who usually pay large sums of currency to participate in the cruise - were taken there for a day trip with the choice of walking or snorkelling.

Next of Kin Reaction

The child of the elderly passenger said that her loved ones was "stunned and distressed that the ship left the island after an organised tour without my parent".

Via her announcement, she characterized her mum as an "energetic octogenarian" who was a participant of a walking club.

"According to scant details we have been provided, it seems that there was a lapse of responsibility and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She added that she wished the examination would be able to pinpoint what "the company should have performed that might have preserved Mum's existence".

"According to reports from the police that it was a very hot period, and mum became unwell on the mountain ascent," she stated.

"They requested her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the vessel sailed away, seemingly without performing a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or shortly after, she passed away, alone."

Organization Response

Via official communication, the Chief Executive confirmed that the organization was "cooperating fully with officials to assist their inquiry".

He stated that the company was "very regretful that this has occurred" and had provided its total backing to the family.

Maritime Business Standards

The vessel caters for up to one hundred twenty guests with forty-six personnel, according to official data. It was specifically designed to enter isolated areas of the nation's coastline and is outfitted with "auxiliary vessels" - small boats used to transport passengers on shore trips.

Events such as this are rare, and passenger vessels have systems to track which passengers are embarking or leaving, according to industry experts.

"Leaving covertly or [back] on the ship really isn't an choice," one expert commented.

Shipping companies take these procedures with great importance and have "advanced technology in place to prevent such incidents from taking place," the expert continued.

"This is probably a surprising - and unfortunate - single occurrence."