An elderly woman has been found dead after she ‘failed to board’ a cruise ship while visiting a popular tourist island in the Great Barrier Reef.
Police have launched an investigation into the death of the solo traveller, 80, while she was hiking Lizard Island’s highest summit off the Far North Queensland coast on Saturday.
It’s understood the woman was walking up to the Cook’s Look summit with a Coral Expeditions group when she stopped and became lost on her way back to the ship.
‘The group continued on and boarded the vessel before realising she was not there,’ a source told The Australian.
Another source claimed that the woman had fallen from a cliff.
The tourist was reported missing after she failed to return to the cruise ship anchored offshore, sparking a widespread land and sea search that continued well into the night.
The woman’s body was located and retrieved from the mountain the following day.
Coral Expeditions confirmed to the Daily Mail that a passenger on a Coral Adventurer voyage died during an excursion to the island on Saturday.
‘The crew notified authorities that a woman was missing, and a search and rescue operation was launched on land and sea,’ chief executive Mark Fifield said.
‘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.
‘The Coral team has 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. We are unable to comment further while this process is underway.’
Police are treating the woman’s death as non-suspicious and will prepare a report for the coroner.
Popular with divers, snorkelers and hikers, Lizard Island is one of the most remote tourism destinations on the Great Barrier Reef.
Cook’s Look is the highest point on the island and follows the footsteps of British explorer Captain James Cook, who is believed to be the first European to have trekked up the mountain in 1770 after his ship Endeavour struck a reef.
‘It covers four kilometres and at times is very steep so we recommend medium to high fitness and agility to safely undertake this hike,’ the Lizard Island website states.
‘Due to the time it takes to hike and the heat of the day, it is recommended that you hike early in the morning.
‘Those that have done this hike say it is challenging but incredibly rewarding.’
Launched in 2019, the Coral Adventurer cruise ship has a capacity of up to 120 passengers and 46 crew.
The vessel is currently on a 60-night circumnavigation of Australia which departed Cairns on October 17 and ends on December 16.
