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One two-month cruise through Australia is being halted in the wake of the fatal incident of an elderly female passenger who was left behind by the cruise liner on a remote tropical isle.

The passenger had been hiking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the cruise ship, but parted ways from the party for a pause. The liner left without her and went back after some time after the personnel discovered the passenger was not present.

A large-scale hunt discovered her remains the subsequent day.

Authorities are looking into the tragedy, alongside investigators and the medical examiner.

Head of the shipping company said that travelers and staff on the vessel were told that the continuation of the voyage had been cancelled due to the "sad loss and previous engine troubles".

Via official communication, he further stated that passengers would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the company was working "to coordinate the homeward trips of the travelers via chartered flights".

Regulatory bodies also issued an updated communication, and said they had "delivered a order to the Commander" banning any additional guests from entering the vessel.

The official said that they would visit the liner in the port city upon its arrival.

Timeline of Events

The liner originally sailed from Cairns on 24 October, and was just two days into the voyage at the time of the 80-year-old's demise. The remote island was the opening port on the journey.

Passengers on board - who usually pay large sums of dollars to join the expedition - were ferried there for a day trip with the option of hiking or snorkelling.

Family Response

The offspring of the elderly passenger said that her loved ones was "stunned and grieved that the liner left the island after an scheduled outing without my mum".

Through her comments, she portrayed her mum as an "active 80-year-old" who was a member of a bushwalking group.

"Based on limited facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a lapse of responsibility and common sense," she said.

She further stated that she hoped the investigation would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have done that might have preserved Mother's existence".

"Based on information from the police that it was a exceptionally warm period, and mother took sick on the uphill trek," she explained.

"Officials suggested her to go back, without accompaniment. Then the boat sailed away, apparently without conducting a roll call.

"At some stage in that chain of events, or shortly after, mum succumbed, alone."

Organization Response

Via official communication, the Chief Executive confirmed that the company was "cooperating fully with investigators to support their inquiry".

He stated that the organization was "deeply sorry that this has transpired" and had provided its total backing to the family.

Shipping Sector Practices

The liner accommodates up to 120 passengers with nearly fifty staff, according to official information. It was specially constructed to enter remote areas of the Australian coastline and is fitted with "auxiliary vessels" - compact vessels used to ferry travelers on day excursions.

Occurrences like this are uncommon, and passenger vessels have protocols to document which passengers are boarding or getting off, according to travel authorities.

"Sneaking ashore or [back] aboard simply isn't an possibility," an authority stated.

Cruise lines take these procedures very seriously and have "advanced technology in place to avoid such occurrences from occurring," the specialist further stated.

"This is most likely a shocking - and sad - single occurrence."