Suzanne Rees’ daughter, Katherine Rees, said on Thursday that her family was “shocked and saddened that the Coral Adventurer left Lizard Island after an organised excursion without my mum, Suzanne”.
In her statement, she described her mother as an “active 80-year-old” who was a member of a bushwalking group.
“From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense,” Ms Rees said.
She added that she hoped the coronial inquiry would be able to pinpoint what “the company should have done that might have saved Mum’s life”.
“We understand from the police that it was a very hot day, and mum fell ill on the hill climb,” she said.
“She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count.
“At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, mum died, alone.”
In a statement earlier this week, Mr Fifield confirmed that Coral Expeditions was “working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation”.
He said that the company was “deeply sorry that this has occurred” and had offered its full support to the Rees’ family.
