Passengers aboard a cruise ship that tragically left a grandmother stranded on a remote island have recounted the distressing sequence of events. Suzanne Rees, 80, disappeared during an organized hike on Lizard Island, part of the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia, while the Coral Adventurer made its first stop on a 60-day voyage around Australia.
The ship departed for its next destination without realizing Rees was missing until she failed to appear for dinner, approximately five hours later. Following an aerial search conducted by a helicopter above Lizard Island, the vessel, carrying 112 passengers, returned to shore with crew members assisting in the search. Rees’ body was found 50 meters off the hiking trail to Cook’s Look, the island’s highest peak.
The Coral Adventurer had left Cairns the previous Friday and anchored near Lizard Island on Saturday, offering passengers the opportunity to explore the island via smaller boats for activities like hiking and snorkeling. Passengers, including Traci Ayris and her partner Matthew aboard SV Vellamo, heard distress signals from the Coral Expeditions’ ship while anchored near Lizard Island.
Criticism has been directed at Coral Expeditions, owned by the National Roads and Motorists’ Association in Australia, for what the Rees family calls a “failure of care and common sense.” An investigation involving multiple agencies will examine the circumstances surrounding Rees’ abandonment, including allegations of a lack of passenger count before the ship departed.
Coral Expeditions’ CEO, Mark Fifield, expressed condolences to the Rees family and emphasized cooperation with official investigations. The police are treating Rees’ death as sudden and non-suspicious, with Tourism Tropical North Queensland offering sympathies to her family and awaiting further details pending an active investigation. A coroner’s report will be prepared.
The Mirror has reached out to Coral Expeditions for additional comments.