Daughter criticises Australia cruise operator after mom dies on island

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6995/live/7e53abc0-b54c-11f0-a50e-9f233dbf9541.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Supplied Suzanne Rees, wearing a white t-shirt and black wire glasses smiles in a photo" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Equipped Suzanne Rees was discovered lifeless hours after her cruise boat left Lizard Island

The daughter of a girl who was left behind by a cruise ship on a distant island and later died has accused the operator of a "failure of care and customary sense".

The physique of Suzanne Rees, 80, was discovered by rescue staff on Lizard Island on the Nice Barrier Reef on Sunday. The day earlier than, she had been mountaineering on the island along with her fellow passengers however was not on the ship when it left hours later.

Katherine Rees mentioned she was "shocked and saddened" that the Coral Adventurer left "with out my mum", whom she described as wholesome, energetic, a eager gardener and bushwalker.

"From the little we now have been advised, plainly there was a failure of care and customary sense," she mentioned on Thursday.

It is understood that Suzanne Rees, from New South Wales, was on the primary cease of a 60-day cruise round Australia, which had left Cairns earlier this week.

Passengers, who pay tens of 1000's of {dollars} to affix the cruise, have been transported to the unique island for a day journey with the choice of mountaineering or snorkelling.

Suzanne joined a gaggle hike to the island's highest peak, Cook dinner's Look, however broke away from the others as she wanted to relaxation.

"We perceive from the police that it was a extremely popular day, and mum fell in poor health on the hill climb," Katherine mentioned.

"She was requested to move down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently with out doing a passenger depend.

"At some point of that sequence, or shortly after, mum died, alone."

Katherine mentioned she hoped a coronial inquiry would "discover out what the corporate ought to have executed that may have saved Mum's life".

The Australian Maritime Security Authority (Amsa) mentioned it was investigating the loss of life and would meet the ship's crew when it is because of dock in Darwin later this week.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d506/live/81c76a00-b531-11f0-b2a1-6f537f66f9aa.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Satellite image of Lizard Island, with Cook's Look summit and a hiking trail identified. A dot point also shows where the cruise ship was moored off the coast of the island." class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> A spokesperson for Amsa mentioned it was first alerted to the lacking lady at round 21:00 native time (10:00 GMT) on Saturday by the ship's captain.

A search get together returned to the island a couple of hours later however efforts to search out Suzanne have been referred to as off within the early hours of Sunday earlier than a helicopter returned within the morning and located her physique.

On Wednesday, the chief govt of Coral Expeditions mentioned the corporate was "deeply sorry" for the loss of life and have been providing their help to the Rees household.

"We're working carefully with Queensland Police and different authorities to help their investigation. We're unable to remark additional whereas this course of is underneath approach," Mark Fifield mentioned.

The Coral Adventurer caters for as much as 120 company with 46 crew, in response to the corporate's web site. It was purpose-built to entry distant areas of Australia's coast and is supplied with "tenders" - small boats used to take passengers on day excursions.

Incidents like this are uncommon, and cruise ships have techniques to file which passengers are embarking or disembarking, Harriet Mallinson, cruise editor of journey web site Sailawaze advised the BBC.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] onboard simply is not an possibility," she mentioned.

Cruise strains take these procedures very significantly and have "intelligent tech in place to forestall such incidents from occurring. That is probably a surprising - and tragic - one-off," Ms Mallinson added.