What a loss...

From the Sidney Morning Hearld.

I really liked this guy. The Crocodile Hunter series was a fixture in my home for many years. He was able to bring common sense, adventure, family and conservation to the public in a way that was entertaining without being preachy. He has been imitated but never duplicated. I certainly hope that his legacy will continue and the good works he has developed in perserving and educating will continue.

Steve Irwin with his American wife Terri at his Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland.
Photo: Russell McPhedran

David Williams and Lousia Hearn
September 4, 2006

Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin has died from a stingray wound while filming off north Queensland.

Friends believe he may have died instantly when struck by a stingray as he filmed a sequence for his eight-year-old daughter Bindi's new TV series.

Irwin's friend of 20 years, Ferre De Deyne said Irwin had been struck by the stingray while filming. "The stingray just happened to be swimming around and out of the blue whacked his tail at him," he said.

"It is absolutely tragic. I have dived so many times with stingrays and they are usually very placid things," he said.

Known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter, 44-year-old Irwin was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!"

'Non-survivable injuries'

Irwin had been filming a new documentary called Ocean's Deadliest with friend and manager John Stainton at Batt Reef, off Port Douglas about 11am.

"He came over the top of a stingray and the stingray's barb went up and went into his chest and put a hole into his heart," Mr Stainton said.

"It's likely that he possibly died instantly when the barb hit him, and I don't think that he ... felt any pain.

"He died doing what he loved best."

Irwin was pulled aboard his research vessel, Croc One, for a 30-minute dash to Low Isle, where a Queensland Rescue Helicopter had been summoned, his Australia Zoo said in a statement.

The crew of the Croc One performed constant CPR during the voyage to Low Isle, but medical staff pronounced him dead about noon.

"It became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries," said Dr Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin at the scene.

"He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest.

"He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."

Dr O'Loughlin said it appeared Mr Irwin had suffered a "form of cardiac arrest" but a post-mortem examination would be conducted in Cairns.