Credit: 60 Minutes Australia & Adobe Stock
Haunting Final Text Of Woman Stranded On Remote Island After Cruise Ship Left Without Her
The haunting final text of an 81-year-old woman has been revealed after she was stranded alone on a remote island when her cruise ship left without her.
Suzanne Rees, from New South Wales, had only just begun a 60-day luxury voyage when she was accidentally left behind during the first stop of the trip.
Less than 24 hours later, her body was found on Lizard Island.
Now, her daughter Katherine has shared the chilling final message Rees sent—completely unaware of the tragedy that was about to unfold.
What happened on that day of Suzanne Rees’ trip?
On the day Rees went missing, the cruise had stopped at Lizard Island—its first destination.
Passengers were due to take part in a challenging hike across the island.
It’s understood Rees split from the group to rest during the climb, as reported by the BBC.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s nearest weather station, located around 30km away, recorded temperatures exceeding 89°F (32°C).
“We understand from police that it was a very hot day, and mum became unwell during the climb,” Katherine told the BBC.
“She was asked to head back down, unescorted. Then the ship left—apparently without doing a passenger count.”
The vessel departed the island at sunset, and 60 Minutes Australia later reported it took the crew a ‘staggering’ five hours to realize Rees had been left behind.
Fern Trent, who previously guided hikes for the Coral Adventurer, said: “If someone was feeling unwell, you would normally radio for assistance and wait for help to arrive.”
Instead, Rees made her way back down alone.
What should have been the trip of a lifetime
In October 2025, Rees and fellow passengers boarded the Coral Adventurer cruise in Cairns.
The vessel can accommodate up to 120 guests and 46 crew members, and was scheduled to complete a 60-day journey around Australia.
Tickets for the experience can cost tens of thousands of dollars, with balcony cabins reportedly priced at $86,400 per person, according to The Guardian.
During the trip, passengers are given access to remote parts of Australia’s coastline and can take part in activities such as hiking and snorkeling.
However, for 81-year-old Rees, the journey ended in tragedy.
Police inform Rees’ family
New South Wales Police woke Rees’ daughter with a knock at her door at 2:30 a.m.
They asked if Rees was at the property. Katherine told them her mother lived there, but was currently on a cruise off the Coral Coast.
That’s when police informed her Rees had been reported missing.
Katherine said the situation ‘didn’t make any sense,’ adding: “Because surely the boat wouldn’t have left without her.
“How does that even happen?”
Rees’ family told 60 Minutes Australia they remained hopeful during the early stages of the search.
“It’s not a large island—it’s possible they’ll find her at first light,” Katherine explained.
“She’ll probably be sitting on a rock, pretty opinionated about the situation,” added her husband, Andrew Cowie.
Tragically, that hope would not last.
The heartbreaking realization
Suzanne was found dead on October 25, 2025.
Her body was discovered near the shoreline shortly after an aerial search began over the national park.
The news was delivered to her daughter over the phone by Queensland Police.
Company issues statement
60 Minutes Australia approached NRMA, the company that owns Coral Expeditions, for an interview, but they declined.
In a statement, they said: “The death of Suzanne Rees on Lizard Island was devastating.
“We are deeply sorry to Ms Rees’ family for their loss and the distress her death has caused.
“While Coral Expeditions has comprehensive safety systems and procedures in place, we acknowledge some of these were not properly followed on this tragic day.
“Ms Rees’ death has shocked our people to the core and we will continue to fully cooperate with ongoing investigations.
“Coral Expeditions has since introduced additional systems and procedures to further strengthen protections for our guests.”
The grandmother’s tragic final text message
Rees’ family last heard from her on the morning she went missing—just hours before she was left alone.
At the time, nothing about the messages suggested anything was wrong.
The family say one of the most painful parts is not knowing exactly what happened after she arrived back from the hike.
“She was fit, she was healthy,” Suzanne’s daughter said, as per 60 Minutes Australia.
“My mum was capable—she walked all the time.
“And I think if the conditions were unacceptable, the walk should have been cancelled in the first place.
“Somebody needed to make that decision and say: too hot, we’re not doing the walk.”
That morning, Suzanne sent her daughter a simple update: “We are heading for Lizard Island.
“Hopefully doing a walk morning and snorkel afternoon.
“On wifi so may not always work.”
Katherine also revealed she had to ask the company for a refund for her mother’s trip, after learning through media reports that other passengers would be reimbursed.
“It’s also good that in the paper they mentioned they would be refunding everyone’s passage—but they didn’t refund Sue’s.
“I had to ask them to refund that money. For the trip she didn’t actually get to go on.
“I was pretty horrified that I had to ask. It’s like ripping the band-aid back off again.”
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