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[speedpop]

Stringray of all things.

The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is dead.

He was killed in a freak accident in Cairns, police sources said.

It is understood he was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest.

He was swimming off the Low Isles at Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary and that's when it occured.

Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality this morning at Batt Reef off Port Douglas.

Irwin's body is being flown to Cairns.

It is believed Mr Irwin's American-born wife Terri is trekking on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and is yet to be told of her husband's death.

Mr Irwin - known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter - is famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry "Crikey!".

The father of two's Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery.

He has also starred in movies and has developed the Australia Zoo wildlife park, north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin.

At the moment nothing much else has been reported. It's 2:40pm here and I'm guessing the full details will be revealed come 6pm for the afternoon news.

 

[SnakeXs]

 

[demi]

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat

 

[jet1911]

 

[Shawn128]

Crikey

 

[AlanHemberger]

holy crap whoa

Crikey

is it bad that I laughed?

 

[Snaku]

Wow, I'm floored. I honestly never expected something like this to happen to him, seriously.

My heart goes out to his family. Rest in peace, mate.

 

[fallengorn]

Wow, even with him constantly poking at the world's deadliest creatures... this was the last thing I expected

 

[Beezy]

Well damn. That really sucks.

Crikey

:lol

 

[Fusebox]

Locking the thread which already had the most replies? Hmm...

Anyway, for a guy who wrestled crocs and tigers, death by sting-ray seems somewhat anti-climactic.

Are they sure he didn't get stung by one of those ones that sends you into a catatonic shock and he just looks dead but inside he's screaming?

 

[Meier]

Most threads at one time about one subject ever! Steve Irwin will forever live in infamy (well sorta).

 

[Adam Blade]

Other thread had more information in the OP. -_-

RIP again, btw.

 

[MetalAlien]

Damn, I just knew he was going to be eaten.

Spoiler

cut and paste

 

[Zaptruder]

Why would the mods lock the longer thread?!

Whatever... how big can stingrays get?!

Sounds like he got speared through the chest!

 

[VOOK]

Must of been a big stingray

 

[sky]

 

[TemplaerDude]

Wow. R.I.P. ... wife and kids... feel like you know the guy... terrible...

 

[tsp_gatmog]

that sucks,

Spoiler

mate

 

[MIMIC]

Crikey

I have to admit. I laughed.

 

[jamesinclair]

This was unexpected.

And he has two kids

 

[Link648099]

Holy shit....that's insane.

 

[Vexidus]

This is really sad news

 

[xabre]

This sucks

Now I don't get to see the guy when I get around going up to 'ostraya' zoo in a few months. They have a TV campaign running here too with his young daughter for that zoo which specifically makes mention of being able to see Irwin's show. Guess they'll pull that commercial now.

 

[John Harker]

Are they sure he didn't get stung by one of those ones that sends you into a catatonic shock and he just looks dead but inside he's screaming?

it's probably, ya know, the drowning and all...

 

[sprsk]

I wonder how this could have happened? Was he just not paying attention?

 

[Rlan]

 

[AgentOtaku]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo

=(

 

[Red Scarlet]

Whoa, that sucks. Poor guy/family.

 

[Error]

wow I didnt expect this :/

RIP

 

[Stench]

Just horrible...

 

[Almighty_Chocobo]

You'd think that the guy would cooled it after having kids, but I guess you can't really change who you are... He seemed like a good guy.

 

[MetalAlien]

This is really sad news

He had a family yes, in that sense it is sad... but come on, who didn't see this coming? How many times did he almost get stung on TV? And remember when he dangled his son in front of the Ray? It was whipping it's stinger all round... I could have probably placed a bet in Vegas for how long before he got stung by a ray.

 

[John Harker]

Must of been a big stingray

Let us know if over the next few weeks you have nightly news that go something like...

"When STINGRAYS Attack!"
"Fear the oceans... Stingray invasion from the North!"
and/or
"When StingRays Attack: Brutal Slayings tonight at 9:00"
"Aussies Unite: Eradicate StingRays!"

Spoiler

dammit, i hate shock-headlines and fear news.

 

[Mr Toast]

Reports on abc website say the stingray barb passed through or into his heart. Sounds like he might have been very unlucky.

 

[Mrs. Manky]

RIP.

Though it should've been a croc that took him out, not a sting ray.

 

[Stoney Mason]

Pretty freaking shocking. Seemed like a very good human being from the outside looking in.

 

[speedpop]

The crocodile hunter website is being hammered, so I doubt we'll get any statement from them for awhile.

 

[jet1911]

Ouch!

 

[Spike Spiegel]

One of the awesomest dudes on the planet. No doubt wrestling crocs in the afterlife already. Thanks, Steve.

 

[cloudwalking]

Holy shit, this sucks. I loved Steve Irwin.

I can't believe how this happened.

44 is way too young to die, and man he had a wife and child

 

[Junpei Heat]

Hopefully he died instantly and didnt suffer.

I wonder if kids will follow in his footsteps

 

[Giard]

RIP.

I loved that show

 

[GhostSeed]

Whoa totally crazy. RIP Steve.

 

[sprsk]

Ouch!

Damn thats a lot bigger than I thought.

 

[Meier]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20349888-2,00.html

Wikipedia entry already updated (naturally). Seriously, that place gives me the creeps!

 

[Nameless]

damn..r.i.p.

 

[MIMIC]

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20349888-2,00.html

Wikipedia entry already updated (naturally). Seriously, that place gives me the creeps!

:lol

 

[Zaptruder]

More info from ABC news...

The naturalist and television star Steve Irwin has died in a diving accident in far north Queensland. He was 44.

Police say he was stung through the heart by a stingray while diving off Port Douglas.

He was filming a documentary when the accident occurred around midday AEST near the Low Isles.

A police helicopter arrived to try to resuscitate him, but it was too late.

Irwin, who was was born in Victoria in 1962, inherited his love of reptiles from his father.

His father Bob was a keen reptile enthusiast and moved the family to Queensland in 1970 to open a small reptile park on the Sunshine Coast.

Irwin took over the family business in 1991 and grew it into Australia Zoo.

In 1992 he ventured into television, making the first series of the Crocodile Hunter.

When the program aired in the United States, he shot to international fame.

Irwin is survived by his wife Terri and two children.

 

[Miguel]

SHOT THROUGH THE HEART

...by a sting ray!

 

[WedgeX]

Through the chest...ack.

I wonder if they'll be airing any of the movies where he gets eaten by various animals any time soon.