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An extensive extended voyage around Australia is being halted in the wake of the tragic passing of an elderly female passenger who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote coastal location.

The elderly woman had been walking on Lizard Island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but separated from the group for a break. The ship sailed away leaving her and returned after some time after the crew realised the woman was unaccounted for.

An extensive hunt discovered her person the subsequent day.

Officials are looking into the tragedy, together with investigators and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the cruise operator said that passengers and personnel on the ship were notified that the continuation of the journey had been called off due to the "tragic passing and earlier engine troubles".

Through an announcement, he added that guests would be given a full refund, and said the operator was working "to organize the return journeys of the passengers via private aircraft".

Officials also released an revised communication, and said they had "issued a directive to the Commander" preventing any additional guests from getting on the ship.

The spokesperson said that they would attend the liner in the Australian city upon its coming back.

Timeline of Occurrences

The liner first departed the Australian port on 24 October, and was merely two days into the voyage at the point of the 80-year-old's death. The remote island was the first stop on the voyage.

Passengers on the vessel - who usually pay large sums of money to join the expedition - were taken there for a day trip with the option of trekking or snorkeling.

Next of Kin Response

The child of the deceased woman said that her relatives was "stunned and distressed that the liner left the location after an planned tour without my mum".

In her statement, she characterized her mother as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a participant of a bushwalking organization.

"Based on limited details we have been provided, it appears that there was a lapse of attention and basic judgment," she said.

She added that she hoped the investigation would be able to identify what "the organization should have done that might have saved Her being".

"According to reports from the authorities that it was a very hot afternoon, and she took sick on the hill climb," she stated.

"Officials suggested her to return, unescorted. Then the ship departed, apparently without performing a headcount.

"At a certain moment in that process, or not long after, mother died, by herself."

Company Response

Through an announcement, the Chief Executive confirmed that the company was "collaborating extensively with investigators to assist their inquiry".

He mentioned that the organization was "extremely apologetic that this has transpired" and had offered its total backing to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Practices

The ship caters for up to a hundred twenty guests with nearly fifty personnel, according to company details. It was purpose-built to enter isolated regions of Australia's coastline and is fitted with "small boats" - small boats used to ferry travelers on shore trips.

Events such as this are rare, and passenger vessels have procedures to document which passengers are getting on or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Leaving covertly or [back] aboard just isn't an option," one expert stated.

Cruise lines regard these processes very seriously and have "advanced technology in place to avoid such events from occurring," the expert further stated.

"This is presumably a stunning - and sad - one-off."