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One 60-day journey circling the Australian Coast has been cancelled in the wake of the death of an senior woman who was left behind by the ship on a distant coastal location.

The passenger had been trekking on the tropical location with shipmates from the Coral Adventurer, but separated from the excursion for a pause. The liner left without her and went back after some time after the crew discovered the woman was missing.

An extensive hunt found her remains the next day.

Authorities are looking into the tragedy, alongside police and the medical examiner.

Chief Executive of the cruise operator said that travelers and crew on the ship were informed that the rest of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and previous engine troubles".

Through an announcement, he added that passengers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the company was working "to coordinate the homeward trips of the passengers via private aircraft".

Authorities also released an revised announcement, and said they had "delivered a order to the Master" banning any additional guests from getting on the ship.

The spokesperson said that they would inspect the ship in the port city upon its arrival.

Chronology of Events

The ship originally sailed from the coastal city on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the expedition at the point of the elderly woman's passing. Lizard Island was the initial destination on the itinerary.

Travelers on the ship - who generally pay large sums of money to join the voyage - were transported there for a shore visit with the option of walking or snorkeling.

Relatives Reaction

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her family was "surprised and distressed that the ship left Lizard Island after an scheduled excursion without my parent".

In her statement, she portrayed her parent as an "active octogenarian" who was a member of a walking club.

"From the little facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a failure of responsibility and common sense," she said.

She continued that she hoped the examination would be able to determine what "the operator should have undertaken that might have saved Mother's being".

"According to reports from the police that it was a extremely warm period, and she became unwell on the mountain ascent," she explained.

"She was asked her to go back, unescorted. Then the ship left, reportedly without conducting a headcount.

"During some point in that process, or shortly after, mother passed away, by herself."

Operator Position

Via official communication, the CEO affirmed that the operator was "working closely with investigators to aid their inquiry".

He said that the organization was "deeply sorry that this has happened" and had provided its full support to the family.

Cruise Industry Standards

The ship accommodates up to one hundred twenty passengers with 46 staff, according to official details. It was specially constructed to access remote locations of the nation's coast and is equipped with "tenders" - small boats used to transport passengers on day excursions.

Incidents like this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have procedures to track which travelers are getting on or disembarking, according to industry experts.

"Going ashore secretly or [back] aboard simply isn't an option," one expert remarked.

Cruise lines consider these procedures extremely carefully and have "advanced technology in place to avoid such occurrences from taking place," the authority continued.

"This is most likely a stunning - and unfortunate - isolated incident."