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An extensive 60-day journey circling Australia has been cancelled in the wake of the fatal incident of an elderly woman who was abandoned by the cruise liner on a isolated coastal location.

The passenger had been walking on the remote island with fellow passengers from the vessel, but parted ways from the excursion for a rest. The liner sailed away leaving her and went back later that day after the ship staff realised the woman was unaccounted for.

A large-scale rescue mission discovered her body the subsequent day.

Investigative bodies are investigating the incident, in coordination with investigators and the state coroner.

Chief Executive of the shipping company stated that passengers and crew on the ship were notified that the remainder of the voyage had been called off due to the "sad loss and previous engine troubles".

In a statement, he further stated that passengers would be given a full refund, and said the organization was working "to arrange the return journeys of the passengers via specially arranged planes".

Officials also issued an updated statement, and said they had "delivered a order to the Captain" preventing any new passengers from boarding the ship.

The official said that they would attend the ship in the port city upon its return.

Chronology of Events

The liner first departed the coastal city on 24 October, and was only 48 hours into the voyage at the time of the 80-year-old's demise. Lizard Island was the initial destination on the itinerary.

Passengers on the vessel - who usually pay large sums of currency to take part in the voyage - were taken there for a daily excursion with the option of trekking or snorkeling.

Family Statement

The daughter of the victim said that her loved ones was "stunned and saddened that the liner left the island after an planned outing without my mother".

Through her comments, she characterized her mother as an "active octogenarian" who was a participant of a hiking organization.

"From the little information we have been told, it appears that there was a failure of attention and ordinary reasoning," she stated.

She added that she wished the inquiry would be able to pinpoint what "the operator should have performed that might have preserved Mum's being".

"Based on information from the police that it was a very hot day, and mother took sick on the hill climb," she stated.

"She was asked her to head down, without accompaniment. Then the vessel departed, reportedly without conducting a headcount.

"During some point in that sequence, or soon after, mum passed away, by herself."

Operator Response

In a statement, the Chief Executive affirmed that the organization was "cooperating fully with officials to aid their investigation".

He stated that the company was "extremely apologetic that this has occurred" and had extended its complete assistance to the loved ones.

Maritime Business Standards

The liner serves up to a hundred twenty passengers with forty-six staff, according to corporate information. It was purpose-built to reach remote locations of Australia's shoreline and is equipped with "tenders" - compact vessels used to ferry individuals on day excursions.

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

"Going ashore secretly or [back] aboard just isn't an option," an authority remarked.

Cruise lines take these procedures extremely carefully and have "sophisticated systems in place to avoid such occurrences from occurring," the authority continued.

"This is presumably a shocking - and sad - single occurrence."