Australian woman found dead on Lizard Island after being left behind by cruise ship

An Australian woman in her 80s has been found dead on Lizard Island, a remote island off the coast of Queensland, after the cruise ship she was travelling on departed without noticing her absence. Authorities said the woman’s body was located on Sunday morning following a search after she failed to re-board the expedition cruise ship Coral Adventurer earlier in the day. Coral Adventurer, the cruise ship, had stopped at Lizard Island on Saturday as part of a 60-day luxury cruise around Australia.

Read More | Cognitively impaired North Carolina woman found dead in woods days after stepping into stranger’s car, murder suspected

‘Sudden and non-suspicious’ death

According to Australian media reports, the woman separated from her group during a hike on the island and did not return by the ship’s scheduled departure. She had separated from the group of fellow passengers to take a rest while hiking on Lizard Island on Saturday.

The ship sailed off the island around sunset. The crew realized about the absence of the woman and returned to the island several hours later. A major search operation was led, finding her body on Sunday morning.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and Queensland Police confirmed that the death is being treated as “sudden and non-suspicious,” and a full investigation is underway.

Read More | Indian-origin man wanted for woman’s murder in Canada, ‘may have fled’ country

The AMSA stated, “The circumstances surrounding why the passenger may not have been accounted for during boarding are part of our inquiry.”

The cruise line, Coral Adventurer, expressed deep regret and said it is supporting the woman’s family while cooperating with authorities.

Investigators will examine how the woman was classified as missing, the adequacy of the ship’s departure procedures, and the timeline of events on the island. A report will be forwarded to the coroner once all inquiries are concluded. Meanwhile, the cruise continues its itinerary, and the vessel is expected to dock in Darwin in the coming days, where AMSA will meet the ship and its crew.