Cruise Ship Abandons 80-Year-Old on Great Barrier Reef Island, Prompts Official Investigation

Suzanne Rees, an active 80-year-old Australian woman, tragically died after being left behind on Lizard Island during a shore excursion from the Coral Adventurer cruise ship. The ship departed the island without conducting a proper passenger count, leaving Rees alone after she fell ill and was instructed to descend unescorted from a hike. The cruise company, Coral Expeditions, is cooperating with investigations by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), Queensland Police, and other authorities, with inquiries ongoing into how the passenger was not accounted for. Rees's family, particularly her daughter Katherine Rees, has expressed profound shock and sadness, criticizing the incident as a "failure of care and common sense" and calling for a coronial inquiry to determine what could have been done to prevent the tragedy. A large search operation involving police, helicopters, and AMSA was launched after the ship realized the woman was missing and returned to the island, where her body was found the following morning. This incident has raised serious concerns about the safety protocols and accountability measures on cruise shore excursions.