Woman’s body recovered after she went missing from cruise ship

The body of an elderly woman has been recovered after she failed to board a cruise ship while visiting a remote island in Far North Queensland.

The woman, aged in her 80s, was reported missing by a crew member of the Coral Adventurer to the police on Saturday after she failed to board a vessel at Lizard Island, a Queensland police spokesperson said.

Search and rescue crews searched both the land and ocean for her.

Her body was recovered on Sunday and her death was not believed to be suspicious, the spokesperson said.

Matthew and Traci live on a sailing yacht and were anchored in Watson’s Bay when the Coral Adventurer arrived.

“We watched passengers from both ships coming and going all day,” they told this masthead.

“We saw the last group leave the beach, then in the small hours there was a helicopter scanning the mountainside and following the trail. We knew that meant someone was missing, but we didn’t realise it was from the ship until we heard on the radio and saw the [ship] returning to Lizard.”

The Coral Adventurer is operated by Coral Expeditions.

The vessel has been included in promotion for a “once-in-a-lifetime Australian Circumnavigation” carrying 112 guests for 60 days around the country, starting in October.

It promoted 48 days of guided excursion activities, an onboard program, an Island Cultural Festival in the Torres Straits, a Winemakers Lunch at Leeuwin Estate, and a charter flight to an Outback Homestead in Longreach.

Prices were advertised as starting at $54,000, with the most expensive balcony cabins priced at $86,400.

“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,” Coral Expeditions CEO Mark Fifield said.

“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.”

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Lizard Island is about 30 kilometres from the mainland near Cooktown in the Great Barrier Reef and is part of the Lizard Island Group that also includes Palfrey Island.

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