• An 80-year-old woman was found dead after being left behind by a cruise ship on Lizard Island.
• Daughter Katherine Rees accuses Coral Expeditions of "failure of care and common sense".
• The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is investigating the incident and the cruise operator's protocols.
• Rees reportedly became ill during a hike and was left unescorted on the island.
• The ship left without conducting a passenger count, leading to her tragic death.

The tragic death of 80-year-old Suzanne Rees, a passenger on the Coral Adventurer cruise, has raised serious questions about the cruise operator's safety protocols. Rees was found dead on Lizard Island, part of her cruise around Australia, after the ship left the island without ensuring all passengers were accounted for. Her daughter, Katherine Rees, has publicly condemned the operator, stating there was a "failure of care and common sense" as her mother was left alone on the island after becoming ill during a hike, according to BBC and SCMP.

On Saturday, while on an organized hiking excursion to Cook's Look, Suzanne became unwell and started her descent back alone. The ship departed without realizing she was missing, prompting Katherine to express her shock and sadness, stating, "the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count," according to further reports from CBS News and SCMP.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding Rees's death, looking particularly at why the ship did not conduct a thorough passenger count before leaving the island. Current cruise industry practices are designed to prevent incidents like this by maintaining accurate passenger manifests, noted safety expert Harriet Mallinson, who commented that "sneaking ashore or [back] onboard just isn't an option," as reported by BBC and CBS News.

Witness accounts suggest that the ship's crew was unaware of the missing passenger until late on Saturday evening, after Rees failed to appear for dinner. The ship returned to Lizard Island early the following morning, where rescue efforts were conducted, leading to the discovery of Rees's body, which was found to be near the hiking trail, according to eyewitness reports cited in SCMP and CBS News.

Coral Expeditions' CEO Mark Fifield expressed deep condolences to Rees's family and stated that the company is fully cooperating with the investigation. He emphasized that any comments regarding specific protocols would be inappropriate until the inquiry is complete, as covered by BBC and CBS News.