Tragedy on the High Seas: Elderly Woman’s Body Found on Remote Island After Failing to Board Cruise Ship
- 80-year-old passenger found dead on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef
- She was reported missing after failing to board the Coral Expeditions cruise ship on Saturday
- Emergency services discovered her body the next day, with police treating the death as “sudden and non-suspicious”
In a devastating turn of events, an 80-year-old woman’s lifeless body was discovered on a remote island in the Great Barrier Reef, just hours after she failed to board a cruise ship. The tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the small community of Lizard Island, off the coast of Cooktown, 320 kilometres north of Cairns.
The Coral Expeditions cruise ship, Coral Adventurer, had visited the island on Saturday, but when the elderly woman didn’t return to the vessel, a frantic search was launched. Her body was found the following day by emergency services, leaving her family and fellow passengers in a state of shock.
“In a heartbreaking development, we can confirm the tragic death of a passenger on the Coral Adventurer during an excursion to Lizard Island,” Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield said in a statement. “We are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family.”
The investigation is ongoing, but Queensland Police have revealed that they are treating the death as “sudden and non-suspicious”. A report will be prepared for the coroner, and Tourism Tropical North Queensland has extended its sympathies to the woman’s family.
The Coral team has been in contact with the woman’s family, and they will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process,” Mr Fifield added.