Sad News Day - Steve Irwin - The Crocodile Hunter

[sscotty727]

I know it has nothing to do with heels, however, I thought I would mention how sad the news was about Steve Irwin passing away today. I know he always took alot of risks and chances are it was going to catch up with him someday, however the more I hear about it it was more an accident vs some silly risk he took. My daughters were also sad because they enjoyed watching him on TV and he also did a video with another of their favorites, The Wiggles. Atleast he died doing what he loved vs wasting away in some hospital with a deadly disease. I just feel badly for his wife and two small kids. RIP Steve, you will be missed. Scotty

[sendra45]

Yep, taken from us before his time. he died doing what he did best. he will be missed.

[BlondeBimbo]

I don’t know how it happened – locally it’s been described as a swimming accident and a diving accident – as a diver it is totally unheard of unless the ray is “attacked”. Knowing how he earned his living (sic) it’s more likely to be a “poking a dangerous animal” type accident. I am sure he knew the risks in encroaching and “attacking” the animals he did; after all they are not to know it is not a genuine attack. Yes at the pearly gates he will be in the same queue as the rest of the Darwin awards contenders – but I am sure he would be the only one who realises why he is there! A loss for many viewers – but probably the most predicted death ever as there can’t be one family who hasn’t watched what he did and say, “It will get him one day!” BB

[sscotty727]

I don’t know how it happened – locally it’s been described as a swimming accident and a diving accident – as a diver it is totally unheard of unless the ray is “attacked”.

Knowing how he earned his living (sic) it’s more likely to be a “poking a dangerous animal” type accident.

I am sure he knew the risks in encroaching and “attacking” the animals he did; after all they are not to know it is not a genuine attack.

Yes at the pearly gates he will be in the same queue as the rest of the Darwin awards contenders – but I am sure he would be the only one who realises why he is there!

A loss for many viewers – but probably the most predicted death ever as there can’t be one family who hasn’t watched what he did and say, “It will get him one day!”

BB

Actually, according to the news, he was just swimming overhead and probably didn't even know it was there.

Shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time (01:00 UTC) on 4 September 2006, Irwin was fatally pierced in the chest by a short-tail stingray barb while snorkelling in Batt Reef, which is part of the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Port Douglas in Queensland, Australia. Irwin was in the area filming his own documentary, to be called The Ocean's Deadliest, but weather had stalled filming. Irwin decided to take the opportunity to film some shallow water shots for a segment in the television program his daughter Bindi was hosting, when, according to his friend and colleague John Stainton, he swam too close to one of the animals. "He came on top of the stingray and the stingray's barb went up and into his chest and put a hole into his heart," said Stainton, who was on board Irwin's boat the Croc One.

The events were caught on camera, and the footage was handed to the Queensland Police. After reviewing the footage of the incident and speaking to the cameraman who recorded it, marine documentary filmmaker and former spearfisherman Ben Cropp speculated that the stingray "felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead." In such a case, the stingray responds by automatically flexing the serrated barb on its tail up to a maximum of 25 cm (10 in) of length. Cropp said Irwin had accidentally boxed the animal in. "It stopped and twisted and threw up its tail with the spike, and it caught him in the chest. It's a defensive thing. It's like being stabbed with a dirty dagger." The stinging of Irwin by the bull ray was "a one-in-a-million thing," Cropp told Time magazine. "I have swum with many rays, and I have only had one do that to me." Immediately after the attack, Irwin was shown on tape pulling the barb out, before losing consciousness. This was confirmed by his colleague John Stainton. It is thought, in the absence of a coroner's report, a combination of the toxins and the puncture wound from the barb caused Irwin to die of an apparent cardiac arrest or that he died quickly as a result of a punctured aorta.

Crew members aboard his boat called the emergency services in the nearest city of Cairns and administered CPR as they rushed the boat to nearby Lowe Isle to meet a rescue helicopter. Medical staff pronounced Irwin dead when they arrived a short time later. According to Dr. Ed O'Loughlin, who treated Irwin, "it became clear fairly soon that he had non-survivable injuries." "He had a penetrating injury to the left front of his chest. He had lost his pulse and wasn't breathing."

Irwin's body was flown to a morgue in Cairns. His wife was on a walking tour in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania at the time, and returned via a private plane from Devonport to the Sunshine Coast with their two children.

This was only the third known fatality in Australian history from a stingray attack, and the first since 1945. As of 1996, only seventeen worldwide fatalities had been recorded, and it is believed to be the only fatal attack ever captured on film.

[Firefox]

He lived and died by the sword.

[Guy N. Heels]

Actually, according to the news, he was just swimming overhead and probably didn't even know it was there.

Thanks for that complete report, Scotty. It would, indeed, seem to be a freak accident. While it is ironic that Irwin was not actually antagonizing the ray at the time, the plain and simple fact is that he had tempted fate more than once. My most profound sympathies are for the widow and children he leaves behind.