Khaberni - Australian authorities are investigating a bizarre case, where an 80-year-old passenger was forgotten on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef during the first stop of a luxurious 60-day cruise around Australia, priced at 80,000 Australian dollars, only to be found dead in the mountains later.
The incident occurred on October 26, when the cruise ship "Coral Adventurer" stopped at Lizard Island, about 250 kilometers away from Cairns, for its first stop, allowing passengers some leisure time. It is believed that the passenger left the group while climbing the island's highest peak, Cook Lookout, and the rest of the group returned to the ship only to find that she had not returned.
Initially, the cruise ship's crew was not aware that the woman was still on Lizard Island and had not boarded the ship.
One of the passengers reported that the cruise ship did not check attendance upon boarding and "raised anchor quickly as soon as the last batch of passengers climbed aboard." The woman’s absence was only discovered several hours later, and a rescue helicopter searched for her until the early hours of the following morning before finally finding her body. Additionally, Lizard Island's official website clearly states that the path "is 4 kilometers long, partially steep and requires a medium to high level of physical fitness."
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) stated that they are investigating the incident. Coral Expeditions, the operating company, has issued a statement confirming their "full cooperation with police investigations" and has been in contact with the victim's family to offer assistance.
