Tragic Incident on Lizard Island: Elderly Cruise Passenger Found Dead After Being Left Behind
A heartbreaking tragedy has unfolded off the seacoast of Queensland, Australia. An 80-year-old woman, Suzanne Rees from Sydney, has been found dead on the remote and stunning Lizard Island after being inadvertently left behind by her voyage boat.
The incident occurred during the alternate day of a Coral peregrinations passage that was meant to circle the Australian bank.
Passengers had disembarked the Coral Adventurer for an islet layover on Saturday, but by the time the boat realized one of its guests was missing, it had sailed down.
Suzanne had joined a systematized group hike on Lizard Island, known for its rugged trails and panoramic views of the Great Barrier Reef.
Her son, Katherine, said that her mama came bad during the rise and decided to make her way back down alone.
“Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, mum died, alone,” Katherine told The Australian.
Five long hours passed before the crew realized Suzanne wasn’t on board. A search mission was immediately launched, scouring both land and sea.
The following day, a helicopter crew spotted her body roughly 50 meters from the main hiking trail leading to the island’s summit.
In a statement issued by Coral Expeditions’ chief executive, Mark Fifield, the company expressed sorrow over the loss and confirmed full cooperation with local authorities.
“The crew notified authorities that a woman was missing, and a search and rescue operation was launched on land and sea.
Following the operation, Coral Expeditions was notified by Queensland Police that the woman had been found deceased on Lizard Island.
While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family.
The Coral team has been in contact with the woman’s family, and we will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process.
We are working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation. We are unable to comment further while this process is underway.”
Authorities are now piecing together how such a devastating oversight occurred. Questions are being raised about passenger tracking procedures and emergency protocols aboard the Coral Adventurer.
Lizard Island, part of a national park around 240 kilometers north of Cairns, is famed for its turquoise waters, coral reefs, and remote hiking paths. It’s a place usually synonymous with serenity, not sorrow.
Locals and travelers alike have been shaken by the news. What was meant to be an adventurous voyage through Australia’s natural wonders has instead ended in unimaginable grief.
This is not the first recent tragedy near the Great Barrier Reef. Earlier this year, a British father and son, Robin and Owen Reed from Caerphilly, Wales, drowned after being swept away in rough seas near the town of Seventeen Seventy, Queensland.
The pair, aged 46 and 17, were swimming at an unpatrolled beach when they got into difficulty. A police helicopter later recovered their bodies.
Queensland Police have confirmed that inquiries are continuing into Suzanne’s death and the circumstances that led to her being left behind. The cruise company’s protocols are also under review.
For now, one thing is painfully clear, a woman’s final moments were spent alone on a breathtaking island that became the scene of deep sorrow.
