Australia Cruise Canceled After 80-Year-Old Passenger Dies

An Australia cruise got canceled after an 80-year-old passenger was found dead on Lizard Island earlier this month.

Coral Expeditions informed guests and crew on October 29 that the company would scrap the rest of the voyage "following the tragic passing of Suzanne Rees and previous mechanical issues," CEO Mark Fifield told USA TODAY. Guests would receive full refunds and the company was coordinating return trips by chartered flight.

"The Coral team prides itself on delivering high quality experiences to our guests," Fifield said. "It was increasingly apparent given the circumstances of the last week that we could not deliver on this promise."

The Coral Adventurer ship had just started a two-month circumnavigation of Australia when Rees died.

What Happened

Rees died on Lizard Island, located on the Great Barrier Reef, on October 26. Queensland Police Service said she was reported missing after failing to board the vessel in waters off Queensland on Saturday, October 25.

Her death was "sudden and non-suspicious," but police didn't have additional specifics to share yet.

"We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and Mum felt ill on the hill climb," said Rees' daughter Katherine according to The Guardian. "She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone."

That's rough. An 80-year-old woman felt ill during a climb on a hot day, was told to head down alone, and the ship left without making sure everyone was back on board.

Safety Regulators Got Involved

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority issued a notice to the Master of Coral Adventurer prohibiting the embarkation of any new passengers. The ship would return to Cairns where AMSA would attend it on arrival.

When a safety regulator steps in and prohibits new passengers from boarding, that's a sign something went seriously wrong beyond just the death itself.

Previous Mechanical Issues

Fifield mentioned "previous mechanical issues" as part of the reason for canceling the voyage. The company didn't specify what those issues were, but combined with a passenger death, they apparently decided the cruise couldn't continue.

Two months is a long circumnavigation of Australia. Mechanical problems and a passenger dying alone on an island within the first week doesn't inspire confidence for the rest of the trip.

The Passenger Count Failure

The fact that the ship left without doing a passenger count raises serious questions. Cruise ships are supposed to have systems in place to ensure everyone who left the ship gets back on board before departing.

Katherine Rees said her mother was asked to head down from the hill climb unescorted after feeling ill. Then the ship left. That suggests either the count system failed or wasn't followed properly.

The worst part of Katherine Rees' statement is that last line. "At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone."

Police said the death was non-suspicious, meaning no foul play. It was likely heat-related or medical. But the circumstances around it are troubling regardless of the actual cause of death.

What This Says about Cruise Safety

Passenger counts aren't optional. They're a basic safety measure. Every person who leaves the ship should be accounted for before the ship moves.

The fact that an 80-year-old passenger could be left behind on an island, even temporarily, points to a breakdown in basic procedures. Add in the mechanical issues mentioned by the CEO, and you've got multiple problems happening at once.

Full Refunds and Chartered Flights

Coral Expeditions is providing full refunds and chartered flights home for passengers. That's the minimum they should do given the circumstances.

A two-month cruise around Australia isn't cheap. Passengers booked expecting a quality experience and got a voyage cut short after a week due to mechanical issues and a passenger death.

Getting money back and a flight home doesn't make up for the experience, but it's better than nothing.

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