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Crocodile Hunter Killed by Stingray

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Stinger

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THE Crocodile Man, Steve Irwin, is dead.

He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said. It is understood he was killed by a sting-ray barb that went through his chest.

He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary and that's when it occured.

Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality this morning at Batt Reef off Port Douglas.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20349888-2,00.html
 
Krickey!!!!

That Bastard was a real character!!!
True life is stranger than fiction!
 
Stinger.... its ironic that you broke the news...! ;)

But on a serious note, it is sad to hear.
He did die doing what he does best tho!
 
Yes, a real tragedy for his very young family. I hope they take the time out to mourn their loss and not feel the need to front the media.

I also heard it may have been one of those Irikiri (sp?) jellyfish that may have touched him.
 
Prospector said:
may have been one of those Irikiri (sp?) jellyfish that may have touched him.
Click to expand...

no, it was a stingray barb. His family are flying to Cairns this afternoon.
Very sad. :( He was a character, but he put his money where his mouth was...poured a lot of money into good things...eg the environment
 
Sad day, and bit close to dads day.

Kids will have hell of a childhood, regardless if Steve did what he loved.
Hope they grow up fast and strong.

Not too appropriate here, but spare a thought for your closest family before you engage in dangerous activities you love.
 
Terrible news. :(

A true character and a great Australian ambassador. Apart from echoing the above posts, I'm speechless.
 
I have to admit that Irwin just about drove me nuts with his silly over the top mannerisms and antics and voice he bunged on.
In fact he irritated me so much that I wouldn't watch him on TV, even though I love wildlife shows.

But he was probably a good bloke, he definitely had a positive effect on the lives of many people, did great service to the tourist industry, made a significant contribution to conservation and the Queensland and Australian economies etc etc.

Very sad for his family. Little three year old boy who will barely remember his Dad. Little daughter who will grow up fatherless.

Considering some of the crazy risks he took, I'm surprised he wasn't taken out years ago by a croc or a snake or whatever.

Bunyip
 
Don't mean to overshadow the trajedy that has occurred at all,... but just mention the danger of stingrays at this moment, as most people seem to be totally unaware of how lethal they are as i was.

I was stung by one in Vanuatu last year in my ankle while just walking in waist high water. I didn't see it because of darker coloured sand, weeds and shells and acidentally stepped on its wing it seems, so it struck me around the ankle with its barb under the tail. It felt like a slap, and suddenly, the pain was excruciating. Their venom targets the nervous system and has a necrotic effect. It's so painful because the nervous system is how we feel pain, so what does the venom do.. it goes straight to the nerves.

You can understand, it's how it protects itself from its dangerous prey in the sea. The morphine helped. Couldn't walk for about 2 weeks and went through a range of symptoms for a 2 months.

It shouldn't really be called a sting because the barb goes in like a knife. I think it's misleading when it's called a sting. I can't believe they show them on travel shows with people walking around them. If you acidentally trod on it or if it senses it's in danger it could strike.

I have since heard of stingray stories and one other actually who died from a sting in the chest. It sends the nervous system haywirer basically and i don't think it has to hit the heart to kill you. If it ruins the nerve funtion around the heart and the heart can't beat rythmically, it's over.

I didn't research it that much but i did some on the internet after my episode. I'm paranoid now if the water isn't clear and i can't see through it.

Condolences to the Family.

Novski
 
he lived the life of ten men,hyperactive and passionate.from the first time i saw his antics i knew we were in for anything but a typical ride.loved your work steve.
 
Novski said:
I'm paranoid now if the water isn't clear and i can't see through it.
Click to expand...

they bury themselves in the sand,no matter how clear it is the chances of spotting them stationary is slim.
 
I do feel very sorry for his family.

Bunyip I hear what you are saying too.

While he died doing what he loved, I think it is a shame that what he loved was so very risky and dangerous. Maybe doing what you love (which is also very risky) and having a young family are incompatible?

I also heard today that a marine expert said that stingrays were not aggressive, and will not attack unless they are provoked.

It is only now that as my kids reach adulthood that I am looking to do things like travel to Egypt, because I know that if something happens to me now, the kids will be OK? Just a thought.
 
Not sure if it's true but I heard on the radio that his wife doesn't even know about his death yet. They said she is bushwalking near Cradle Mountain (Tasmania) and as such wouldn't be aware that anything had happened to him.

Not sure of the accuracy or otherwise of this report.

I wan't a fan, never even seen the TV program (not once...) but from what I know he was a decent bloke and did quite a bit of good. A tragic loss...
 
I believe I know some healing words that can be told to kids that age at a time like this - maybe his oldest anyway - they go something like this ....
"There will I know be moments of sadness and great loss...
but if you can put beside these the good times you have had together -
I am sure,
that you will find
that you have gained
more
than you can ever lose."
Never truer than in his case I'm sure.
 

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