Australian authorities are investigating after an 80-year-old woman who was left behind on a Great Barrier Reef island by a cruise ship was found dead. The woman had been hiking on Lizard Island, 250 km (155 miles) north of Cairns, with fellow passengers from the Coral Adventurer cruise ship on Saturday but is believed to have broken off from the group to have a rest. The ship left the island around sunset but returned several hours later after the crew realised the woman was missing. A major search operation found the woman's body on Sunday morning. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said it is investigating and will meet the ship's crew when it docks in Darwin later this week.

A spokesperson for AMSA said it was first alerted to the missing woman at around 21:00 local time on Saturday (05:00 GMT on Friday) by the ship's captain. The authority said it would work with other relevant agencies to investigate the case and that it takes the safety of passengers and crew onboard commercial vessels seriously. Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield said staff have contacted the woman's family and were offering support over the 'tragic death'. He acknowledged the ongoing investigation is important and stressed that the company deeply regrets what happened. Traci Ayris, a nearby sailor, reported seeing a helicopter searching the area, and expressed the distress it caused among passengers and crew members. This incident serves as a mortal reminder that safety measures during excursions should always be prioritized.