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A two-month cruise circling the Australian Coast is being halted days after the fatal incident of an older female passenger who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a remote island.

The elderly woman had been walking on the remote island with shipmates from the cruise ship, but parted ways from the party for a pause. The ship left without her and went back several hours later after the crew realised the woman was unaccounted for.

An extensive search operation found her body the next day.

Investigative bodies are examining the tragedy, together with police and the state coroner.

Head of the shipping company stated that guests and staff on the vessel were informed that the remainder of the cruise had been terminated due to the "tragic passing and prior mechanical issues".

In a statement, he further stated that guests would be given a complete reimbursement, and said the operator was working "to organize the homeward trips of the travelers via specially arranged planes".

Authorities also issued an revised statement, and said they had "provided a notice to the Captain" prohibiting any additional guests from entering the vessel.

The official said that they would inspect the liner in Cairns upon its arrival.

Timeline of Occurrences

The liner originally sailed from Cairns on October 24th, and was only 48 hours into the journey at the time of the senior passenger's demise. The remote island was the initial destination on the journey.

Travelers on board - who generally pay tens of thousands of dollars to participate in the cruise - were transported there for a daily excursion with the choice of hiking or underwater exploration.

Relatives Statement

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

Via her announcement, she portrayed her mother as an "energetic 80-year-old" who was a member of a bushwalking organization.

"From the little facts we have been informed, it appears that there was a breakdown of care and basic judgment," she stated.

She continued that she desired the inquiry would be able to determine what "the operator should have undertaken that might have saved Her life".

"We understand from the investigators that it was a extremely warm afternoon, and she fell ill on the hill climb," she revealed.

"They requested her to return, unescorted. Then the vessel sailed away, reportedly without doing a passenger count.

"At a certain moment in that sequence, or soon after, mother passed away, by herself."

Operator Position

Through an announcement, the Head affirmed that the company was "working closely with investigators to assist their investigation".

He mentioned that the company was "deeply sorry that this has occurred" and had provided its total backing to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Practices

The liner accommodates up to one hundred twenty travelers with forty-six personnel, according to corporate information. It was specifically designed to reach isolated locations of the Australian shoreline and is equipped with "small boats" - minor craft used to transport individuals on land visits.

Occurrences like this are infrequent, and liners have protocols to track which passengers are embarking or getting off, according to maritime specialists.

"Leaving covertly or [back] aboard just isn't an choice," an authority stated.

Shipping companies regard these procedures extremely carefully and have "sophisticated systems in place to prevent such events from taking place," the authority added.

"This appears to be probably a stunning - and tragic - one-off."