Steve Irwin, better known as the Crocodile Hunter, has died according to Australian news. The cause of death was apparently a stab wound from a sting ray that pierced his chest.
UPDATE BY BRENDAN: Australia’s news.com.au has more details on Irwin’s death:
A doctor and witnesses have told of the desperate efforts to save Australian icon Steve Irwin after the Crocodile Hunter was struck in the chest by a stingray barb today.
Irwin, 44, died this morning after being fatally injured while filming a nature documentary off Queensland. …
Choking back tears, [Irwin’s manager John] Stainton said Irwin had gone “over the top of a stingray and a stingray’s barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heartâ€?.
“He possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don’t think that he … felt any pain.â€? …
Mr Stainton admitted he had always feared Irwin might meet his death while working with wildlife, but added that Irwin himself was never scared.
“We’ve been in some pretty close shaves. (But) nothing would ever scare Steve or would worry him. He didn’t have a fear of death at all.â€?
In an sad twist, it has been reported that his new documentary was aimed at demystifying the stingray. However Mr Stainton said Irwin was filming other footage for a program with [his eight-year-old daughter] Bindi at the time of the attack.
Read the whole thing, which also includes links to various other articles about the tragedy.
As I said in comments, I too often wondered, while watching Irwin’s antics on TV, if he would ultimately meet his demise at the hands of some dangerous animal. Alas, “nature’s wayâ€? finally caught up to the Croc Hunter. Rest in peace, mate.
P.S. Irwin’s Wikipedia entry has more:
On 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest into his heart by a stingray barb, while off the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia while filming a segment for his daughter Bindi Irwin’s (8 years old at the time) 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 in the Low Isles, Queensland near Port Douglas, north of Cairns, Queensland, Australia, where he was stung either through his heart or through the left side of his chest. After he was stung, his crew called for medical help and attempted to resuscitate him. The Queensland Rescue Helicopter responded, taking him to Cairns Base Hospital. However, Irwin was pronounced dead at noon. He was not killed by the sting itself but from a puncture to the heart in turn causing cardiac arrest.
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Categories: Australia, TV, Movies & Entertainment
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September 4th, 2006 at 1:36:11 am
That sounds like a terribly painful way to go.
But, I guess, the Croc Hunter did die in about the most befitting and badass way imaginable…
Bummer.
September 4th, 2006 at 2:07:04 am
Crikey.
September 4th, 2006 at 2:15:23 am
How did you beat me to posting Australian news, I feel I am losing my title as “Official Australian Correspondent”.
We have lost one of our best today, Steve’s work in conservation and Australian tourism was priceless. Condolences to Terri, Bindi and Bob.
September 4th, 2006 at 7:11:56 am
Crikey! What happens when I piss off this dangerous animal? I wonder if it’ll defend itself in a potentially harmful manner?
September 4th, 2006 at 7:50:47 am
Well done, David — I was just about to post this, having been awakened by the buzz of a BBC Breaing News alert on my cell phone… not about Steve Irwin, but about the shooting in Amman, Jordan, however I then saw the previous alert about Steve Irwin dying… so I actually got out of bed specifically to post it. So you beat both the Australian Correspondent and the Irish Trojan himself.
Plenty of times, while watching Steve’s antics on TV, I wondered if he would ultimately meet his demise at the hands of some dangerous animal. Alas, “nature’s way” finally caught up to the Croc Hunter. Rest in peace, mate.
September 4th, 2006 at 8:14:21 am
Raise your hand if this surprised you.
Anyone?
Yeah, didn’t think so.
Without question, he’ll be remembered. He had more guts in his little finger than I have in my whole body (and if you know me, I’m waaaay overweight!). He went to all kinds of extremes to make sure people learned. That makes one hell of a teacher. Rest in peace, mate.
September 4th, 2006 at 10:37:40 am
In my own misanthropic way, I’m thinking of all the people I would have rather heard about meeting their unfortunate demise this morning…Paris Hilton…Hilary Clinton…Rick Santorum. But Steve Irwin? It’s truly tragic that a freak accident killed him. People get stung by sting rays all the time. Hell, even my Dad has been stung by one and he can’t swim so that tells you how much time he spends in the water around the beasties. I mean, what horrible luck so get stung in the freakin heart! Honestly! Maybe God needs an angel to wrangle some crocodiles menacing heaven.
Poor animal planet.
And am I completely horrible for wondering whether or not his crew caught his death on film?
September 4th, 2006 at 11:17:59 am
Nooooooo! A freaking stingray? This guy lets alligators bite him and snakes wrap around him, and he gets killed by a freaking stingray? WTF?
September 4th, 2006 at 12:02:33 pm
While it’s tragic for him and his family and friends, it’s probably the way he would have wanted to go, albeit not so early. Thrillseekers seldom die at home in bed of old age.
September 4th, 2006 at 12:42:38 pm
Condolences to all Australia, Melanie Dickson ~ and to all those around the world who, through Steve, were vicarious adventurers in, and lovers of, our animal planet. (It’s not only “Australian news”, it’s World news ~ a Big story, everywhere.)
Awful & untimely as it is, it’s true & appropriate that he died with [metaphorically] his Boots on, and his khaki Shorts too. :) So we may suppose, and hope, that having lived his life as a Big Dance with Danger, he would have wanted it that way.
…And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong,
“Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?”
September 4th, 2006 at 3:48:30 pm
Featured on BuzzTracker
September 4th, 2006 at 4:10:15 pm
Rebecca,
Apparently, his death was captured on film:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20355112-601,00.html
What an awful way to go.
September 4th, 2006 at 5:56:45 pm
Becky,
Why don’t you tell Rick Santorum’s wife and seven young children that you’d have preferred his death instead? Seriously, what an incredibly tacky thing to say! I may not like Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, or Patrick Leahy, but I would never “prefer” their deaths over the deaths of any other innocent person due to a freak accident. Each one of them have families and friends, none of whom deserve the suffering that would ensue. No person’s untimely death by freak accident is preferable to another’s, even if that person is an incredibly irresponsible politician with warped values.
September 4th, 2006 at 9:34:11 pm
On the flipside, there is a sting ray who is happy tonight that he killed a shark that was hovering over him.
Just like the chick from “Born Free” who was killed by the lions or Roy Horn or the Grizzly Man, sooner or later these people will run into an animal that doesn’t know it is supposed to be their friend. Sad, but not surprising.
September 4th, 2006 at 9:41:48 pm
He was the best a living legend who will always be remembered for sharing
his wonderful God given gift.
September 5th, 2006 at 4:15:28 pm
I was sorry to hear about Steve. Funny, lively guy. But what do you want to bet he was messing with this creature like he always did? Trying to ride it or something like that for some “good video”. They say there is footage of the event and I would like to see for myself. He always was messing with animals for no reason other than to show how macho he was. Let this be a lesson to all these type “naturalistsJust leave them the hell alone.
September 5th, 2006 at 6:02:57 pm
God Given Gift??????? What gift is that, annoyance? stupidity? Seriously, anyone who was
supprised by this is an idiot. If I woke up this morning and it said he died because of
complications due to a sliver in his thumb… then yeah that is shocking. You all know the
old saying, You play with wild animals… you are going to get barbed in the heart.
September 5th, 2006 at 6:46:58 pm
what a horrible way to go…why a stingray?why not a snake or a crocidle?
I mean people get stung but sting rays all the time.how come he died?
well that stingray did get him in the freakin heart.that must of gave
him alot of pain.But it was really said that he died.
September 5th, 2006 at 7:22:52 pm
ok, i was personally shocked the way he died. i mean im not exactly shocked that he did die because he took so many risks and stuff that it was bound to happen any day now/ it just sucks that it happened while filming a movie for his little girl, i mean how sad:( it was sad but in a way he had it comingdoing all the crazy stuff he did do. but i think that he will be missed cause people like to watch him and it is just sad.
September 5th, 2006 at 7:40:46 pm
just as achilles was near immortal, so too, seemingly was mr. irwin, and ironically,just as
Paris’s arrow entered the one point of Achilles’s susceptibility, so too did the sting-ray’s
barb locate the fatal point of entry……pure tragedy..
September 5th, 2006 at 10:13:15 pm
Dear Precious Man, how you will be missed by me and the world.
You will always be remembered as someone who really did make
a difference in our World.
You are in God’s hands, he has plans for you in more wonderous
ways, ways that that we can only try to Imagine.
God Speed and bless you and you beautiful family.
Prayer’s and Love, Jill Santa Barbara, Calif.
September 6th, 2006 at 1:19:14 am
Steve Irwin, conservationist, wildlife expert and videographer, will be dearly missed by all naturalists and conservationists! My heart goes out to Terri and her children, Bob and Bindi.
In Memorium “The Crocodile Hunter Preserve & Protect Wildlife” and
“The Crocodile Hunter Conserve Natures Wonders!” are created by master graphic artist, designer and naturalist, Terry Lynch. May the valuable work Steve Irwin participated in continue! See http://www.cafepress.com/bytelandart/1801793
Steve Irwin died Sept. 1, 2006 when he was stung by a bull stingray while filming at Batt Reef off the northeast coast of Queensland, Australia.
This special tribute of a bull stingray drifts over a heavenly light in reminder that Steve Irwin died doing what he loved and that it would be his dying wish to continue to conserve, preserve and protect nature and wildlife.
September 6th, 2006 at 6:22:13 am
A great man, a hero to all, Steve Irwin! The legend!
http://www.ripsteve-irwin.blogspot.com
September 6th, 2006 at 2:46:40 pm
you will be forever missed steve…
sign the guestbook at
http://www.remembersteve.com
September 6th, 2006 at 3:50:27 pm
you are a great person but wend the T.V tell the men of crocodile hunter dies i panic bicut in the word whi nit a person to take responsibel to aur animals …. whi miss you
September 6th, 2006 at 3:53:16 pm
hey mechell you are great you are tellin the trus you now what are you doin
September 7th, 2006 at 5:14:37 pm
when i had herd what happened to the crocidlie hunter it was a very sad thing to here.
i have a nebor who is 5 and he use to watch the crocidle hunter like every day, constently .
we will a miss u alot and so will my 5 year old nebor!
haley
14
IL
September 7th, 2006 at 9:24:23 pm
Your Gangsta
September 9th, 2006 at 4:05:26 pm
While it’s sad that he’s gone, it’s nice to start making jokes about him too:
When asked about his favourite childhood programmes,Steve Irwin replied, “Thunderbirds was best but there’ll always be a place in my heart for Stingray”.
September 10th, 2006 at 5:52:48 am
that sucks
September 10th, 2006 at 5:53:37 am
i will miss him
September 10th, 2006 at 1:20:19 pm
man the steve had a horrible death…..
we all will miss the crocidle hunter…..
r.i.p. steve irwin
September 10th, 2006 at 5:32:22 pm
I felt very sad when Steve died, sad enough and grateful enough for the legacy he left behind to pen this tune:
Crocodile Hunter
words and music by Bruce L. Thiessen, aka Dr. BLT (c)2006
http://www.drblt.net/music/crocodileHunter.mp3
Blog n Roll!
September 11th, 2006 at 5:11:25 pm
it is a shame how people do not care and said that he had it coming to him!!! well that is all he lived for he loved am=nimals!! and he has little babies now they are looking for him!!! and the mother is doing good!!! and for all those people out there who thoght that he had it coming your wrong!!! sooo shut up and keep you’r opines to yourself!!!
September 13th, 2006 at 10:44:17 pm
Well how corny is this……… I think the fucking dumbass deserved to die but i thought he would at least die a a better.. Like get ate and torn apart by a shark but he had it coming what kind of person deserves to be on this earth like him!!!! IM SO GLAD THAT RETARD IS DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 14th, 2006 at 3:12:53 am
Poor Nikki. So sorry you have such a miserable existance. So glad that Steve had So happy that Steve had a wonderful existance.
September 14th, 2006 at 3:32:00 am
first r.i.p steve irwin and now bloody poor r.i.p peter brock
September 14th, 2006 at 2:41:20 pm
Yeah what kind of horrible person wants to educate the public about animals and work hard in animal conservation efforts, he was a really jerk all right (end sarcasm)
September 20th, 2006 at 11:26:05 am
Light a candle in memory of Steve Irwin at his online memorial tribute link below. Keep the legacy going and show your support to this great Australian icon.
Online Memorial Tribute to Steve Irwin
Thanks in advance,
Nathan
_______________________________
RIP Steve, @->—-
September 24th, 2006 at 2:53:33 am
R.I.P STEVE IRWIN
i heard for 2 days that steve irwin had died… i couldn’t believe what i was hearing
everybody had a different story to tell, jokes had started already :S
the best aussie man alive STEVE IRWIN died from doing what he loved doing best… ANIMALS was his everything.
I wouldn’t even forget to mention how much he loved his kids, my deepest sympathy goes to his wife Terry and his kids BINDI AND BOB.
RIP forever! you were a fabulous, kind and generous man Steve Irwin!
You created a new meaning for how people should treat animals all over the world.
x x x Braide x x x
i love u steve irwin x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
October 1st, 2006 at 10:05:48 am
its sad
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:29:32 am
good bye steve :(