Cruise passenger found dead on island after failing to return to ship
Lizard Island beach. Image courtesy of Paulscf/Wikicommons
An 80-year-old Australian woman has died on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef after being left behind by a cruise ship during an excursion.
The woman, whose name has not been released, was a passenger on Coral Expeditions’ Coral Adventurer, which had recently departed Cairns on a 60-day voyage circumnavigating Australia. The trip had made its first stop at Lizard Island, roughly 250 kilometres north of Cairns.
She had joined other guests for a hike up Cook’s Look, the island’s highest peak, but reportedly decided to turn back before reaching the summit. It is understood she was separated from the group while returning to the shore. The rest of the group later reboarded the ship, which then departed the island without realising she was missing.
Queensland Police said the woman was reported missing on Saturday night after failing to return to the vessel. Her death, described as “sudden and non-suspicious”, is being referred to the coroner. “The woman was reported missing to the police on 25 October, after failing to board a vessel in waters off Queensland earlier on Saturday,” a police statement said.
The Coral Adventurer returned to the island in the early hours of Sunday after crew became aware of her absence. A major search involving helicopters and emergency crews continued through the night. Witness Traci Ayris, who was aboard a nearby yacht, told ABC that she saw a helicopter searching the island around midnight. “We knew she was dead because they called everyone back from the search immediately,” she said.
Ayris also told the Cairns Post that safety checks may not have been as strict for hikers as they were for snorkellers. “They did headcounts for snorkellers (which we heard) but not for other guests on the island it would seem,” she says, adding that the ship “left very soon” after passengers returned to the beach.
Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield says the company had contacted the woman’s family and was providing support. “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,” he says in a statement. “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 investigating how the incident occurred and whether stronger passenger safety measures are needed for cruise operations in the region.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed it had been alerted to the missing passenger around 9pm on Saturday. A spokesperson says the agency takes passenger and crew safety “very seriously” and would examine why the passenger had not been accounted for before departure.
AMSA regulations require operators to have procedures ensuring that the captain can confirm the number of passengers on board at all times.
Lizard Island, one of the most remote sites on the Great Barrier Reef, is a popular destination for hikers, divers and snorkellers. The track to Cook’s Look is about four kilometres long and considered steep and challenging in tropical conditions.
The Coral Adventurer, which can accommodate 120 passengers, has since continued its voyage to Darwin. Officers will meet the ship’s crew when the vessel arrives.
