Cruise ship that left woman to die on Great Barrier Reef island boarded by investigators

Investigators have boarded an Australian cruise ship more than 10 days after the death of an elderly passenger who was marooned on a remote island.

Suzanne Rees, 80, was hiking on Lizard Island with other Coral Adventurer passengers but broke away from the rest group. The ship left without her, returning only a few hours later when the crew realized that Mrs. Rees was missing.

Officials from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) boarded the vessel on Wednesday morning local time.

Amsa, which is investigating the incident alongside Queensland police and the state coroner, told the BBC it could not comment on the investigation.

The 60-day cruise around Australia, which cost guests tens of thousands of dollars, was canceled due to the death of Mrs. Rees as well as mechanical problems.

The Coral Adventurer was expected to dock in Cairns – where its operator Coral Expeditions is based.

But a lack of available anchorages meant he instead dropped anchor a few kilometers to the north early on Tuesday evening, off the coast of Yorkey’s Knob, where he remained on Wednesday morning.

The BBC understands only a small crew was on board.

The ship’s tracking data showed that one of the ship’s smaller boats, known as a tender, was moving between the ship and the shore on Tuesday evening.

All passengers landed on Horn Island in far north Queensland at the weekend and were transferred to the mainland by chartered plane.

Coral Adventurer accommodates up to 120 guests with a crew of 46, according to the company’s website. It was purpose-built to access remote areas of the Australian coast.

Tracking data shows the ship originally left Cairns at around 07:30 local time on October 24 – after a delay of about a week due to mechanical problems.

The next day it reached Lizard Island – also known as Jiigurru or Dyiigurra – in the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef for the first stop of the trip.

Passengers on board were transported by tenders to the secluded island – home to a luxury resort and research station – for a day trip with the option of hiking or snorkeling.

Suzanne Rees’ daughter, Catherine Rees, said last week that her family was “shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organized excursion without my mother”.

She described her mother, who was from Sydney, as an “active 80-year-old” who was a member of a bushwalking group.

“From what little we’ve been told, it appears there was a failure of care and common sense.”

Ms Rees added that she hoped the coroner’s inquest would be able to determine what “the company should have done that may have saved my mother’s life”.

“We found out from the police that it was a very hot day and the mother got sick going up the hill,” she said.

“She was asked to disembark unaccompanied. The ship then departed, apparently without counting the passengers.

“At some stage in this sequence or shortly thereafter, mum passed away alone.”

Search and rescue efforts late on Saturday, October 25 – the day she disappeared – found no sign of Ms Rees. Her body was found the next day.

Last week, Mark Fifield, chief executive of cruise operator Coral Expeditions, confirmed the firm was “working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation”.

Mr Fifield said the company “deeply regrets that this has happened” and offered its full support to the Rees family.