Photo: Bahnfrend / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified with text overlay. Adapted image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Queensland's workplace health and safety regulator has reportedly completed its investigation into the death of cruise passenger Suzanne Rees, who was left behind on Lizard Island during a Coral Expeditions voyage in October 2025.
According to a new report by The Australian, the matter has now been referred to the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor to determine whether charges should be laid.
The development comes almost a year after the 80-year-old Sydney grandmother died during a shore excursion from Coral Adventurer, operated by NRMA-owned Coral Expeditions.
No charges have been announced, and the referral does not mean that criminal wrongdoing has been established.
What Happened on Lizard Island?
Suzanne Rees was travelling aboard Coral Adventurer on a 60-night circumnavigation of Australia when the ship visited Lizard Island, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of Cooktown, on 25 October 2025.
The island was the first scheduled stop on the voyage.
Ms Rees, an experienced bushwalker, joined a guided hike towards Cook's Look, the island's highest point.
According to accounts provided by her family, she became unwell during the walk in extremely hot conditions and was reportedly instructed to return to the beach alone.
She did not make it back to the vessel.
Coral Adventurer subsequently departed Lizard Island without realising she was missing.
The alarm was raised several hours later when Ms Rees failed to appear for dinner, prompting the ship to return and a search operation to begin.
Her body was discovered on the island the following day.
The circumstances surrounding her death, including how she became separated from the group and why her absence was not identified before the ship departed, have been central to the investigations.
The incident attracted widespread attention across Australia and raised serious questions about passenger safety during shore excursions.
Workplace Safety Investigation Referred for Possible Prosecution
The latest development was reported by The Australian on 17 October 2026.
The newspaper reports that Queensland's workplace health and safety regulator has completed its investigation and referred the matter to the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor.
The independent prosecutor will consider the evidence and determine whether any charges should be brought.
The referral represents an important development, but it is not the same as a decision to prosecute.
At the time of publication, no charges have been publicly announced, and the regulator's reported referral has not been accompanied by a separately identified public statement.
The outcome of the prosecutor's assessment remains unknown.
Coral Expeditions Introduces Additional Safety Procedures
Questions about passenger accountability have remained at the centre of the case.
According to The Australian, the operator's previous double-confirmation procedures applied specifically to passengers returning from water-based activities, such as snorkelling and scuba diving.
Following Ms Rees' death, Coral Expeditions introduced additional passenger-checking measures across its shore excursions.
The revised arrangements reportedly involve staff recording passengers as they return, followed by passengers personally confirming their return.
In an earlier statement reported by Cruise Passenger, Coral Expeditions acknowledged that some existing safety procedures had not been adequately implemented on the day of the incident.
The company said it had introduced further systems and procedures to strengthen guest safety and would continue cooperating with investigators.
The changes are intended to reduce the risk of passengers being left unaccounted for during shore excursions.
Image: ID Family Continues to Seek Answers
Suzanne's daughter, Katherine Rees, has continued to call for greater transparency about the circumstances surrounding her mother's death.
In the latest report, she expressed frustration about the information provided to the family and the progress of the various investigations.
She has also called for a public coronial inquest to establish exactly what happened and identify any failures that may have contributed to the tragedy.
The report includes another distressing detail: NRMA reportedly sent a membership renewal letter addressed to Suzanne in May 2026, approximately seven months after her death.
NRMA acknowledged the error and apologised to the family.
The organisation has also expressed its willingness to meet with Ms Rees' relatives to provide answers and support.
For the family, however, the central question remains how Suzanne was able to be left behind during an organised cruise excursion.
Other Investigations Remain Ongoing
The workplace safety investigation is not the only examination of the incident.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) launched its own investigation following Ms Rees' death.
AMSA investigators boarded Coral Adventurer when the vessel returned to the Cairns area in early November 2025, gathering documents and other evidence.
The maritime regulator's investigation has focused on the circumstances surrounding the incident, including passenger accountability and compliance with applicable safety requirements.
According to the latest reporting, that investigation remains ongoing.
Queensland's coronial investigation is also continuing, with no decision yet announced on whether a public inquest will be held.
The separate processes may examine different legal and safety questions, meaning their findings and outcomes should not be treated as interchangeable.
Coral Adventurer Has Faced Further Scrutiny
The Lizard Island tragedy was followed by another serious incident involving Coral Adventurer in December 2025.
The vessel ran aground on a coral reef near Nussing Island, Papua New Guinea, while carrying 80 passengers and 44 crew members.
No injuries were reported, but passengers were subsequently evacuated and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) launched an investigation.
In March 2026, the ATSB released a preliminary report outlining the vessel's movements before the grounding.
That investigation is separate from the death of Suzanne Rees and does not establish any connection between the two incidents.
Further information about the grounding investigation is available through the ATSB's official investigation page.
What Happens Next?
The next significant step will be a decision by the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor on whether the evidence supports bringing charges.
Meanwhile, the maritime safety and coronial investigations remain ongoing.
The case has raised broader questions about passenger accountability during organised shore excursions, particularly in remote locations where conditions can change quickly and assistance may be difficult to access.
Almost a year after Suzanne Rees' death, her family is still seeking a clear account of what happened.
The latest reported referral represents a significant step in the process, but the investigations have yet to provide a final public resolution.
