Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter'

[Wolf]

Full Story


SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Steve Irwin, the Australian TV presenter known as the \"Crocodile Hunter,\" has died after being stung in a marine accident off Australia\'s north coast.

Australian media reports say Irwin was diving in waters off Port Douglas, north of Cairns, when the incident happened on Monday morning.

Irwin, 44 was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, according to Cairns police sources. Irwin was filming an underwater documentary at the time.

Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality Monday morning off Port Douglas, according to Australian media.

Queensland Police Services also confirmed Irwin\'s death and said his family had been notified. Irwin was director of the Australian Zoo in Queensland.

He is survived by his American-born wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, born 1998, and Robert (Bob), born December 2003.

Irwin became a popular figure on Australian and international television through Irwin\'s close handling of wildlife, most notably the capture and relocation of crocodiles.

Irwin\'s enthusiastic approach to nature conservation and the environment won him a global following. He was known for his exuberance and use of the catch phrase \"Crikey!\"

But his image suffered a setback in January 2004 when he held his then 1-month-old baby Bob while feeding a crocodile at his Australian zoo. (Full story)

In a statement released to Australian media, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed his sorrow and said that he was fond of Irwin and was very appreciative of all the work he had done in promoting Australia overseas.

In 2003, Irwin spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.\'s Australian Story television program about how he was perceived in his home country.

\"When I see what\'s happened all over the world, they\'re looking at me as this very popular, wildlife warrior Australian bloke,\" he said, the ABC reported.

\"And yet back here in my own country, some people find me a little bit embarrassing. \"You know, there\'s this... they kind of cringe, you know, \'cause I\'m coming out with \'Crikey\' and \'Look at this beauty\'.\"
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He will be missed

[saw1974]

It\'s always a sad day when a top Aussie dies. As far as I\'m concerned he\'s up their with VB, the Holden ute and Boonies 52 beer flight from Sydney to London. Tex

[Nude_not_rude]

Got to admit I had a hard time believing the news today. He was a top bloke and a great ambassador for Australia and wildlife. He was a rare type of bloke who put his money where his mouth was by creating Australia Zoo and buying properties in the bush to use for wildlife conservation and spent his life trying to educate us to the beauty and wonder of nature.

His wife Terri was one of the last people in the country to find out it seems as she was trekking in the Tasmanian mountains before being informed and flying to Cairns this afternoon.

I feel the same about this news today as I did hearing about the death of Princess Diana and the World trade Centre tragedy. \'Crikey!\' What a waste.

It was a strange day with everyone running around say \"have you heard the news? Steve Erwin is dead\" always followed by a shocked \"No way! Are you serious?\" and everyone retelling the senario. Bit twilight zone feeling really....

A great Aussie character. He will be missed.    :\'(

[Danee]

I was stunned as was most of the world who were into Naturalism (note the L).  The man was a character but that was part of his attraction.  It is a true loss, not only to Australia but to the rest of us who believed what he did beyond the shows and show-business, was to the betterment and preservation of wildlife and their habitants.   :sad:

-Danee

[nudedavemelb]

tex i see what you value in life. your a true aussie mate i hear you   :====

It did spread faster then the news of the world trade centre. I was notified at early this morning of it. Although it is sad to lose a great ozzie i rest at ease knowing he died doing what he loved doing

[Nude_not_rude]

I was notified at early this morning of it.

 ???

It\'s semantic I know but he died at around 11am. News didn\'t filter through til the afternoon..........

[Pyre]

I heard about it on the way to work this morning. It was on the Radio 1 news and they say the headlines, then a little tune and then go into the story itself. The headline was along the lines of Steve Irwin killed in diving accident, can\'t remember exactly what was said now. My mind did a kind of double take as in huh? What? so suffice to say I turned up the volume and listened to the report with shock and sadness. Like dave said, at least he died doing something that he loved, which is ironic in a way since his work often placed him in a stand off with the reaper, which up until now he\'s come out on top. He\'ll be hugely missed though around the world. My sympathy goes to his wife and two children that he\'s left behind :sad:

[First_Disciple]

I don\'t see why everyone is so shocked that he is gone... Wonderful man, but he did make a career out of placing himself in dangerous situations. You play dice with fate, eventually you lose.

[jacob078]

I thought that at first, but the last person to die from a stingray wound in Australian waters was in 1945, and there have only been four known instances worldwide. That\'s the real irony of it, how much of a fluke it was.

[greymutt]

I don\'t see why everyone is so shocked that he is gone... Wonderful man, but he did make a career out of placing himself in dangerous situations. You play dice with fate, eventually you lose.

I kinda agree.  Obviously it\'s sad when anybody dies - particularly someone who did so much good work for a cause they believed in - but he did regularly push his luck to an extreme.  That\'s one of the reasons he was so popular I guess.  There is a sort of morbid curiosity about watching someone who might die (stunt men, escapologists, knife jugglers, etc).  
I think we\'ve all watched his work and thought \"he\'s got it coming\", but we all assumed it would be a bloody big croc, not a fish.

[nudedavemelb]

I must admit that i think most people would have expected it to be a croc that got him not a stingray. ANd like jacob said it is so rare that one has died from a stingray

[Nude_not_rude]

I don\'t see why everyone is so shocked that he is gone... Wonderful man, but he did make a career out of placing himself in dangerous situations. You play dice with fate, eventually you lose.

Amazingly, usually they don\'t. Steve \"Crocodile Hunter\" Irwin was the lastest in a line of Aussie characters who were famous for making the wildlife and natural environment exciting and educational for all Australians. In the past there has been characters such as Harry Butler, Ben Cropp, Ron & Valerie Taylor, The Leyland Brothers, Les \"The Bush Tucker Man\" Hiddins, Alby Mangle and Malcom Douglas. Steve is the only one to have been killed whilst doing what he loved.

[flieguy]

The outpouring, particularly in Australia has been very interesting - talkback has been logjammed with callers about Steve Irwin.

He\'s not a guy that I was terribly into - in his TV shows he was a bit full on for me, but what I appreciate and what his legacy is to Australia is what he did for conservation and tourism here.

I dont think there has ever been an Australian that has had the international cut-through that Steve Irwin has. He\'s been a great ambassador for our country and will be sorely missed.

[Anonymous]

This is really sad. I loved watching the Crocodile Hunter. My jr high science teacher always taped his shows and brought the coolest ones into class for us to watch.  I was always nervous, though, watching him with those dangerous animals! He was sooo brave!  I feel terrible for his family. His kids I\'m sure think he was so sweet.

[kensington25]

Hi there guys, I was so sad to hear about Steve Irwin too. I found his programmes fascinating. Long may he rest in peace. Best wishes William