The body of an 80-year-old woman was found on Sunday, October 30, on Lizard Island, an island in the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. She was on a hike with a group of cruise passengers when the boat left without her.

An investigation is underway in Australia following the tragic death of Suzanne Rees, an 80-year-old cruise passenger who died abandoned on an island in the Great Barrier Reef.

The victim was participating in a hike on Lizard Island on Saturday, October 29th, a place renowned for its stunning landscapes surrounded by coral reefs. According to the BBC , the octogenarian stopped to rest along the way, and her group continued hiking without her.

ABC Australia reports that the cruise ship weighed anchor between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., at sunset. It wasn't until later that the crew noticed the passenger's disappearance. Emergency services were notified shortly before midnight.

A helicopter quickly reached Lizard Island, but its search proved unsuccessful. A seven-person team then went to the island in a boat to continue the search using lights. The victim's body was finally found around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.

"A lack of attention and common sense"

The victim's daughter said on Thursday that her family was "shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organized excursion without my mother (...) from the little we have been told, it seems there was a lack of attention and common sense," according to the Guardian .

"According to information provided by the police, it was very hot that day, and Mom felt unwell while climbing a hill. She was asked to come back down without being accompanied," added her daughter, who described Suzanne Rees as a healthy woman who practiced hiking with a club.

In a press release quoted by ABC Australia, Mark Fifield, CEO of Coral Expeditions, shared his condolences. "Our teams have been in contact with the woman's family and we will provide them with all the support we can to help them through this difficult time." He indicated that he is working closely with local authorities.

The AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority), the agency responsible for conducting the investigation, explained through a spokesperson that they were "waiting until the ship arrives in Darwin".

"AMSA is working in conjunction with the relevant authorities and takes the safety of passengers and crew on board commercial vessels very seriously." Police officers quoted by ABC Australia, who are working in support of AMSA, explained that the prevailing theory is that of an accident.

An event described as very rare

Investigators are awaiting the coroner's findings to determine the cause of death of the cruise ship passenger.

According to the company's website, the Coral Adventurer can accommodate up to 120 passengers and 46 crew members. It was specially designed to access remote areas of the Australian coast and is equipped with "tenders," small boats used to take passengers on day trips.

"Incidents like this are rare. Cruise ships have passenger registration systems for embarkation and disembarkation," Harriet Mallinson, editor of the specialist magazine Sailawaze , explained to the BBC . "Disappearing on land or while preparing to reboard is unthinkable," she continued. "Cruise operators take these procedures very seriously and use new technologies to protect themselves against this kind of incident," the journalist added.