80-year-old woman found dead after shore excursion at Lizard Island

An unnamed woman in her 80s who was a solo passenger on a Coral Expeditions cruise was found dead on Lizard Island on Sunday after failing to reboard the vessel following a scheduled shore excursion on Saturday, Queensland authorities and the cruise operator said. The body was discovered during a search and rescue operation that began after the ship reported the passenger missing late on Saturday evening.

Queensland Police described the death as sudden and nonsuspicious and said a report would be prepared for the coroner. Investigators are examining the circumstances that led to the woman being unaccounted for, including the sequence of events on the island and the timing of the search response, officials said.

Coral Expeditions confirmed the passenger was part of an excursion ashore at Lizard Island, a remote Great Barrier Reef atoll popular with hikers and divers. It is understood the woman joined other passengers on a walking trail and later became separated from the group. When she failed to return to the vessel before it departed, the crew notified authorities and search efforts were launched on land and at sea. Queensland Police located the woman deceased on the island on...