An elderly woman, aged 80, was discovered deceased on an isolated island after she did not reboard her cruise ship in Australia. The woman was reportedly hiking near the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland as part of an excursion when she went missing. Her body was located on a mountain a day later following an alert from the ship’s staff. Authorities have stated that they are not treating the woman’s death as suspicious.
A large-scale search operation by sea and land was initiated before the woman’s body was located. She was on a luxurious voyage aboard the Coral Adventurer cruise ship and disappeared while exploring the area. The woman was participating in a 60-day trip around Australia, which carries a price tag of approximately $80,000 (£39,000).
Mark Fifield, the head of Coral Expeditions, confirmed the “tragic death” of the passenger on Lizard Island in an official statement. The company is collaborating closely with law enforcement to assist in the ongoing investigation.
Fifield stated, “The crew reported a missing woman, prompting a search and rescue operation by both land and sea. Following the operation, Queensland Police informed Coral Expeditions that the woman had been found deceased on Lizard Island.”
He added, “While inquiries into the incident are ongoing, we deeply regret this occurrence and are providing full support to the woman’s family. We have been in touch with the family and will continue to assist them through this challenging time. We are cooperating with Queensland Police and other authorities in their investigation and are refraining from further comments during this process.” Police have also mentioned that they are preparing a report for the coroner.
A source disclosed that the woman was part of a group hiking the steep Cook’s Look trail on the island when she needed to pause. Allegedly, the group continued without her.
Robyn Holmes, the Mayor of Cook Shire, expressed condolences to the woman’s family, friends, and all those impacted by the tragedy. She recognized the distressing nature of the situation and commended the efforts of emergency service personnel and involved agencies.