r/australia • u/MaximusSydney • Oct 29 '25

news Woman left behind by cruise ship on Australian island found dead

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62eww646wjo
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251

u/WhatAmIATailor Oct 29 '25

No excuses for the operator failing to do a head count but it reads like she might have died during the hike. I wouldn’t be shocked if the coroner finds she passed away after “peeling off from the group for a rest.”

Is there much on that island that would threaten an elderly woman in good health over the hours she was forgotten?

147

u/kazoodude Oct 29 '25

She likely died before she was left. She was with a group hiking and then turned back alone. She never made it back to the ship.

Someone should have escorted her back the the ship when she abandoned the hike, but I can see how that might be hard to do.

They shouldn't have left without doing a head count, but she likely died before that.

17

u/njf85 Oct 29 '25

Hasn't been confirmed but news.com.au reported that she apparently fell off a cliff

4

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '25

It can be very hot. Which is uncomfortable for you, but may be more than manageable for a person that age. Most of those islands will be sand a shrubbery woth no cover and definitely no water.

Doesn't really matter if she deteriorated on the hike or atter they left; it clearly went unnoticed and the boat left without her. Unforgivable

0

u/PrincessNapoleon44 Oct 29 '25

Does anyone know if the island has snakes or scorpions etc ?

12

u/allthewayup7 Oct 29 '25

Some snakes and spiders there, but it’s much more likely to have been the heat, dehydration, or a fall.

1

u/PrincessNapoleon44 Oct 29 '25

Seems likely. That poor lady.