Lizard Island death: Woman found dead after being stranded on reef trip
Boaties have claimed a woman who died at an exclusive Qld island was left behind by her cruise ship before the vessel returned and ordered crew to search by torch light when it was realised the elderly guest was missing.
Boaties have claimed a woman who died at an exclusive Queensland island was left behind by her cruise ship before the vessel returned and ordered crew to search by torch light when it was realised the elderly guest was missing.
The visit to Lizard Island ended in tragedy on Sunday for an elderly cruise ship passenger who died after hiking up a mountain at the remote tourist destination.
The Coral Expeditions guest went hiking to the summit of the island’s highest peak, Cook’s Look, on Saturday October 25.
She was reported missing the later that evening after failing to board the ship anchored off the coast.
The woman, aged in her 80s, had set out on a hike with a group when she indicated it was too much for her, and told them she would return to the boat.
However she never made it back to the ship and its understood she became lost on the return walk.
New information from cruising yachtie anchored at Lizard Island Traci Ayris raises questions about safety protocols and a delayed start to the search due to it not being known that the woman was missing.
Ms Ayris and her partner Matthew aboard SV Vellamo were listening to emergency radio transmissions sent from the Coral Expeditions vessel.
“They did headcounts for snorkellers (which we heard) but not for other guests on the island it would seem,” she said.
“The last people came down from the track and got into tender then the (ship) left very soon after that.
“There was not a lot of time between when the last passengers left the beach to when they up anchored
“We even commented ‘wow they left fast’.”
After leaving at sunset Vessel Finder shows the ship tracked back towards Lizard Island about 9pm on Saturday and arrived at about 2am on Sunday.
But before the ship made it back to the island, Ms Ayris said a helicopter begun an aerial search at about midnight.
After arriving, seven crew from the Coral Adventurer went ashore and searched the mountain by torchlight
“We watched the search up the mountain,” she said.
“Until the search was called off around 3am and then (resumed) again at first light.
“The chopper arrived at first light and it went directly to Telstra Rock (where she was last seen) and immediately it hovered then went straight to the air strip.
“We knew that it had found her and the lack of activity told us that she was clearly dead.
“She lay there all day and was finally airlifted (from the island) at 3:42pm.”
Cairns-based company Coral Expeditions runs a fleet of three small ships: the Coral Adventurer, the Coral Geographer, and the Coral Discoverer.
At the time of the incident the ship was on its first stopover of a 60-day $80,000-a-ticket circumnavigation of Australia.
The company’s chief executive Mark Fifield confirmed the death of the passenger.
“On Saturday October 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.
“The Coral team have 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.”
A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said a report would be prepared for the coroner after the “sudden and non-suspicious death of a missing woman in her 80s on Lizard Island”. “The woman was reported missing to the police on October 25, after failing to board a vessel in waters off Queensland earlier on Saturday,” the spokeswoman said.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it was investigating the incident.
“AMSA is aware of the incident and has commenced making inquiries and will attend the vessel upon arrival in Darwin,” a spokesman said.
“The incident was reported to AMSA by the Master of the vessel. AMSA is currently liaising and working with other relevant agencies on this matter.
“AMSA takes the safety of passengers and crew on board commercial vessels seriously.”
The Coral Adventurer has continued it’s voyage to Darwin and is currently approaching the entrance to the Torres Strait passage.
Originally published as Lizard Island death: Woman found dead after being stranded on reef trip
