Oct. 30 (UPI) — The daughter of an 80-year-old woman left behind by a cruise ship on an Australian island said Thursday that her mother died due to a lack of “care and common sense.”
Suzanne Rees, of New South Wales, was found dead on Lizard Island on Sunday morning, hours after the Coral Adventurer cruise ship departed the island without her.
The ship, operated by Coral Expeditions, was on the second day of a 60-day cruise around Australia. Lizard Island was the trip’s first stop.
During the excursion, the woman left with a group to attempt to climb the island’s tallest mount, Cook’s Look, the BBC reported. She felt ill during the climb and separated from the climbing group to rest. She never rejoined.
Suzanne Rees’ daughter, Katherine Rees, issued a statement Thursday criticizing Coral Expeditions for leaving her mother behind on the island, The Guardian reported.
“From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense,” the younger Rees said.
“We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and Mum felt ill on the hill climb. 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, Mum died, alone.”
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it was investigating the circumstances leading to Suzanne Rees’ death. Officials planned to question the Coral Adventurer’s crew when it docks in Darwin later this week.
Katherine Rees said she hoped the investigation would determine what the crew could have done differently to prevent her mother’s death.
Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield issued a statement Wednesday expressing sorry for Suzanne Rees’ death.
“We are working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation,” he said. “We are unable to comment further while this process is under way.
