Steve Irwin AKA "The Crocodile Hunter"

[Latu]

On 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest by a stingray barb, while diving off the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia while filming a segment for his daughter Bindi Irwin's upcoming series. Irwin was in the area filming his own documentary, to be called Ocean's Deadliest, but weather had stalled filming. Irwin decided to take the opportunity to film some shallow water shots for his daughter's program. The BBC reported that this was only the second known fatality in Australian history from a stingray attack. The Sydney Morning Herald lists it as the third known death; the other two deaths being in 1938 and 1945.

Shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time (01:00 UTC), Irwin was filming off the shores of Low Isles, Queensland near Port Douglas, north of Cairns, Queensland, Australia, (map of that area) , where he was stung either through his heart or through the left side of his chest After he was stung, Emergency services were called from Cairns Rescue Base and met "Croc One", Irwin’s rescue vessel at Low Isle on the Great Barrier Reef. The Croc One crew performed constant CPR during the thirty minute dash to Low Isle. The Queensland Rescue Helicopter responded, taking him to Cairns Base Hospital, where Irwin was pronounced dead on arrival at noon. He was not killed by the sting itself but from a puncture to the heart in turn causing cardiac arrest. The Queensland Police Service notified his family and released a statement for the media concerning his death.


News of his death prompted a public outpouring expressing shock and loss. Several Australian news websites went down due to high web traffic and talk-back radio experienced a high volume of callers expressing their grief , commemorating his passion and exuberance. Prime Minister John Howard, among many other politicians, expressed his "shock and distress" at the death, saying that "Australia has lost a wonderful and colourful son.” Steve Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns, where stunned family and friends were gathering on Monday night. His American-born wife Terri was told of her husband's death while on a walking tour in Tasmania, and returned to the Sunshine Coast with their two children.

Steve's death left me in shock and I can't think about how much shock and grief his family is in.

RIP Steve Irwin

[CommanderEVE]

some here... i was very up set when Steve Irwin died i was going to do a tread about when you beat me to it

[jeffbert]

I rarely watch anything on Animal Planet, but I did like Irwin. It is too bad, he will be missed.

[1magus]

I never really watched him, this does proove that he was not faking any of his shows lol. Just thought I'd cheer ya up, there will be others and the world will miss him.

[stoogefreaky]

His shows sometimes made me laugh. He was so awesome! He still is! Why did he had to go?

[CommanderEVE]

well he was cheating with deaf when he played with those snakes, coc's and ECT.... when i heard he died i thought he got biten by a coc for some thing big but i never thought a sting-ray...it was a 1 in a million chance of being killed by a sting-ray they say sting-ray's tail can be as deadly as a bayont... any way steve irwin left two kids girl aged 7 and a boy 1 year i think and his wife couldn't speek a word becuase was so up-set

[Breakman]

I knew something like this would happen. It only goes to show that wild animals are truly wild and unpredictable. Expert or not, everyone should take utmost care on handling them.

Still, it is disheartening to hear Steve Irwin died. Condolences to his wife and baby...

[CommanderEVE]

R.I.P steve irwin

[Latu]

It's such a freak accident. Out of all of these years dealing with crocs and deadly snakes.....

[Matty_kool]

I am also shocked and all my dad could do was take the mickey and say...

Well he probally had no life insurance cause when he applied they just saw his name and said no way...