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One two-month journey around the Land Down Under is being halted in the wake of the tragic passing of an elderly female passenger who was stranded by the cruise liner on a isolated tropical isle.

The elderly woman had been walking on the remote island with shipmates from the cruise ship, but separated from the excursion for a break. The ship departed without her and returned several hours later after the crew became aware the woman was unaccounted for.

An extensive hunt found her body the following day.

Authorities are looking into the event, together with investigators and the state coroner.

The CEO of the voyage organizer stated that passengers and crew on the vessel were informed that the remainder of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "tragic passing and earlier technical problems".

Through an announcement, he mentioned that guests would be provided a complete reimbursement, and said the company was working "to organize the homeward trips of the travelers via private aircraft".

Officials also issued an updated announcement, and said they had "provided a order to the Captain" prohibiting any further travelers from boarding the ship.

The representative said that they would inspect the vessel in Cairns upon its coming back.

Chronology of Events

The liner initially left the Australian port on the 24th of October, and was just two days into the journey at the time of the 80-year-old's demise. The remote island was the initial destination on the voyage.

Guests on the vessel - who usually pay tens of thousands of dollars to join the voyage - were transported there for a day trip with the choice of trekking or snorkeling.

Relatives Reaction

The child of the deceased woman said that her family was "surprised and grieved that the ship left the island after an planned tour without my mother".

In her statement, she portrayed her parent as an "active 80-year-old" who was a participant of a walking organization.

"From the little information we have been informed, it appears that there was a failure of attention and basic judgment," she mentioned.

She further stated that she desired the investigation would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have performed that might have saved Mum's life".

"According to reports from the police that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and she fell ill on the hill climb," she stated.

"Officials suggested her to head down, alone. Then the ship sailed away, seemingly without performing a passenger count.

"At some stage in that process, or soon after, mother died, alone."

Organization Position

Through an announcement, the CEO affirmed that the operator was "cooperating fully with investigators to assist their inquiry".

He stated that the organization was "deeply sorry that this has happened" and had offered its full support to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Procedures

The vessel accommodates up to 120 passengers with nearly fifty crew, according to company information. It was purpose-built to access remote locations of Australia's coast and is fitted with "tenders" - compact vessels used to ferry passengers on land visits.

Events of this nature are rare, and cruise ships have procedures to document which travelers are boarding or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Leaving covertly or [back] onboard really isn't an possibility," a specialist commented.

Shipping companies regard these procedures with great importance and have "sophisticated systems in place to avoid such incidents from taking place," the specialist further stated.

"This appears to be probably a surprising - and sad - isolated incident."