MELBOURNE, Australia (FN) — An 80-year-old cruise passenger was found dead on a remote island along Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after being accidentally left behind by her ship’s crew, prompting multiple investigations and emotional calls for accountability from her family.
Suzanne Rees, a Sydney resident, was discovered Sunday morning on Lizard Island, a day after she failed to return to the Coral Adventurer cruise ship following a group hike. The ship departed the island without her, and she was reported missing hours later.
Her daughter, Katherine Rees, said the tragedy was preventable and blamed the cruise operator, Coral Expeditions, for what she called a “failure of care and common sense.”
“We are shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organized excursion without my mum,” Katherine Rees said in a statement. “From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense. We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and Mum felt ill on the hill climb. She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone.”
Suzanne Rees’ body was located by a search helicopter about 50 meters off the trail to the lookout point. Local media reported she may have fallen from a slope or cliff.
Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield said the company is cooperating fully with authorities. “We have expressed our heartfelt condolences to the Rees family and remain deeply sorry that this has occurred,” Fifield said. “We continue to provide our full support to the Rees family through this difficult time.”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is investigating whether proper procedures were followed during passenger boarding at Lizard Island. A workplace safety watchdog is also conducting a separate inquiry. Police confirmed the death is being treated as non-suspicious and has been referred to the coroner.
Katherine Rees said she hopes the coroner’s inquiry will determine what actions could have prevented her mother’s death. “We just want answers,” she said.
The incident has renewed scrutiny of safety standards in Australia’s reef tourism industry. In 1998, American tourists Tom and Eileen Lonergan were left behind during a scuba diving trip in the same region. Their bodies were never recovered, and the case led to sweeping changes in safety protocols.
Suzanne Rees was on the second day of a cruise circumnavigating Australia when the tragedy occurred. She was first reported missing when she failed to appear for dinner on board.
