The daughter of the cruise passenger found dead on a remote Australian island after failing to reboard the ship has spoken out about her mother’s “sudden” death, per The Australian.
Suzanne Rees Was Left Behind on Remote Island
Suzanne Rees, an 80-year-old retiree embarking upon a solo cruise, was allegedly left behind on Lizard Island on the first day of a 60-day journey when the Coral Adventurer disembarked without her on Oct. 25. Rees was not reported missing until several hours later. Early reports claim that Rees died under “sudden and non-suspicious” circumstances after she stopped to rest while hiking the Cook’s Look peak. It’s believed that Rees may have fallen from the cliff.
Victim’s Daughter Speaks Out
Now, the victim’s daughter, Katherine Rees, is speaking out, lamenting the “failure of care and common sense” that led to her mother’s unexpected death. “We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and Mom fell ill on the hill climb,” Rees explained. “She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mom died, alone. I hope that the coronial inquiry will find out what the company should have done that might have saved Mom’s life.”
Coral Adventurer declined comment whilst the investigation is underway.
Suzanne Rees was part of an organized hiking-and-snorkeling expedition which was scheduled to last three hours and recommended to those with “medium to high fitness and agility.” After Rees reportedly stopped to rest, “the group continued on and boarded the vessel before realizing she was not there,” sources told The Australian. She was later reported missing around 6 p.m. after she didn’t arrive for dinner. The boat turned around, and seven crew members were sent to Lizard Island to search for Suzanne.
Coral Expeditions Confirmed Rees’ Death
In a statement to news.com.au on Tuesday, Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield confirmed Rees’ passing. “Coral Expeditions can confirm the tragic death of a passenger on the Coral Adventurer during an excursion to Lizard Island in Queensland,” he said. “On Saturday, Oct. 25, the crew notified authorities that a woman was missing, and a search and rescue operation was launched on land and sea. Following the operation, Coral Expeditions was notified by Queensland Police that the woman had been found deceased on Lizard Island.
“While investigations into the incident are continuing, we are deeply sorry that this has occurred and are offering our full support to the woman’s family,” Fitfield continued. “The Coral team have [sic] been in contact with the woman’s family, and we will continue to offer support to them through this difficult process. We are working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation.”
