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A two-month voyage through the Land Down Under has been cancelled days after the fatal incident of an elderly woman who was abandoned by the ship on a remote tropical isle.

Suzanne Rees had been hiking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but broke off from the excursion for a pause. The vessel departed without her and came back later that day after the ship staff became aware the passenger was missing.

An extensive hunt found her person the following day.

Officials are investigating the event, together with law enforcement and the medical examiner.

The CEO of the cruise operator stated that travelers and crew on the ship were told that the continuation of the cruise had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and earlier mechanical issues".

In a statement, he added that travelers would be given a total repayment, and said the company was working "to arrange the homeward trips of the travelers via private aircraft".

Regulatory bodies also released an latest statement, and said they had "delivered a order to the Captain" banning any additional guests from boarding the liner.

The official said that they would visit the ship in the port city upon its arrival.

Timeline of Events

The vessel first departed the Australian port on 24 October, and was merely two days into the journey at the time of the senior passenger's passing. The remote island was the first stop on the journey.

Guests on board - who usually pay tens of thousands of money to participate in the cruise - were taken there for a daily excursion with the possibility of hiking or underwater exploration.

Next of Kin Response

The child of the elderly passenger said that her relatives was "stunned and distressed that the liner left the location after an organised excursion without my mum".

Through her comments, she portrayed her mother as an "active octogenarian" who was a participant of a bushwalking group.

"According to scant facts we have been informed, it seems that there was a breakdown of care and ordinary reasoning," she said.

She continued that she desired the investigation would be able to identify what "the organization should have done that might have saved Mum's being".

"According to reports from the investigators that it was a exceptionally warm day, and mother became unwell on the mountain ascent," she revealed.

"They requested her to return, unescorted. Then the vessel left, apparently without performing a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or not long after, mum passed away, by herself."

Organization Reaction

Through an announcement, the CEO verified that the company was "collaborating extensively with investigators to support their examination".

He stated that the company was "deeply sorry that this has happened" and had extended its full support to the loved ones.

Cruise Industry Procedures

The vessel serves up to a hundred twenty travelers with 46 personnel, according to official data. It was specifically designed to reach remote areas of Australia's shoreline and is outfitted with "tenders" - small boats used to ferry passengers on day excursions.

Events like this are rare, and liners have systems to document which travelers are boarding or leaving, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard simply isn't an choice," an authority remarked.

Shipping companies regard these methods very seriously and have "clever tech in place to stop such occurrences from happening," the expert continued.

"This is probably a shocking - and sad - single occurrence."