“Shocked and saddened”
Katherine said police arrived at her home and asked whether her mother was there, and that’s when she realized something was wrong. She criticized communication between Coral Expeditions and its owner, NRMA, following Suzanne’s death.
After learning that other passengers would be refunded, Katherine said she was forced to request a refund for her mother’s fare herself.
“[Coral Expeditions] mentioned that 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 that she didn’t actually get to go on,” Katherine said, according to VT.
“I was pretty horrified that I actually had to ask. It’s like ripping the band aid back off again”
She also said her family had been left “shocked and saddened” by the circumstances surrounding Suzanne’s death and described the situation as a “failure of care and common sense.”
Coral Expeditions issued a statement
According to Katherine, her mother was not reported missing until 6 p.m. on the day the ship departed the island.
In a statement provided to 60 Minutes, Coral Expeditions expressed condolences to Suzanne’s family and acknowledged shortcomings in how its safety procedures were carried out.
“We are deeply sorry to Ms Rees’ family for their loss and the distress and hurt her death has caused.
“While Coral Expeditions had comprehensive safety systems and procedures in place, we acknowledge some of these were not adequately implemented on this tragic day.
“Ms Rees’ death has shocked our people to the core, and we will continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing investigations.
“Coral Expeditions has introduced additional systems and procedures to further strengthen protections for our guests.”
