Elderly woman found dead on Great Barrier Reef island after failing to board cruise ship

An elderly woman was found dead on Lizard Island off Queensland after she failed to board a cruise ship. Photo / Supplied

An elderly woman has been found dead on an island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef after she “failed to board” a cruise ship.

Queensland Police said the 80-year-old was reported missing on Saturday, after the Coral Expedition cruise she was on visited Lizard Island.

Emergency services found her body the following day.

Lizard Island is a remote island north of Cairns and 95km northeast of the coastal town of Cooktown.

According to The Australian, the solo traveller was hiking the Cook’s Look walk, a steep journey to the island’s highest point, when she stopped to rest.

The others in the cruise ship group continued the walk and boarded the ship, but the woman got lost on her way back and did not get on board.

A source told the outlet that the woman fell off a cliff.

She was reported missing later that day after the group realised she was not on the vessel.

Coral Expeditions chief executive Mark Fifield confirmed a passenger on its Coral Adventurer ship died during an excursion to the island in a statement to Australian media.

An 80-year-old woman was found dead on Lizard Island a day after she failed to board the Coral Adventurer cruise ship. Photo / Coral Expeditions

Fifield said the crew on the ship notified authorities the woman was missing.

A land and sea search was launched, and the company was later notified by police the woman was found dead on the island.

“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,” 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,” he said.

Fifield said the company is “working closely with Queensland Police and other authorities to support their investigation”.

Police said the death was being treated as “sudden and non-suspicious” but that they are investigating and a report was being prepared for the coroner.