Aussie Croc Hunter no more
This comes from a tip by WB. Yeah, if you’ve seen him, heard him, got the shivers from what he did… you know him… you knew him. Because he’s no more.
Sydney Morning Herald reports
Television personality and environmentalist Steve Irwin has died in a marine accident in north Queensland, state government sources say.
Known worldwide as the Crocodile Hunter, he was famous for his enthusiasm for wildlife and his catchcry “Crikey!”.
The 44-year-old is believed to have been killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest, the sources said.
He was filming an underwater documentary off Port Douglas when the accident occurred.
Mr Irwin’s body was being flown to Cairns by helicopter.
Australian emergency officials could not immediately confirm the reports.
A spokesman for Emergency Management Queensland Helicopter Rescue in Cairns would not confirm the identity of the dead man, stating that next of kin had not been informed.
It is believed his American-born wife Terri is trekking on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania.
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The helicopter rescue spokesman said a patient was transported from Lowe Isles, about 32 nautical miles off Port Douglas.
A doctor was onboard the helicopter and pronounced the patient dead before he arrived in Cairns at 12.53pm.
“I believe it was a stingray,” the spokesman said.
Irwin won a global following for his daredevil antics but also triggered outrage in 2004 by holding his then one-month-old baby while feeding a snapping crocodile at his Australian zoo.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, who used a photograph of his family at Australia Zoo for his official Christmas card last year, hailed Mr Irwin for his work in promoting Australia.
Mr Irwin was heavily involved in last year’s “G’Day LA” campaign.
“The minister knew him, was fond of him and was very, very appreciative of all the work he’d done to promote Australia overseas,” a spokesman said.
The father of two’s Crocodile Hunter program was first broadcast in 1992 and has been shown around the world on cable network Discovery.
Irwin came 20th last year in BRW magazine’s top 50 entertainers.
The magazine said the hugely popular Crocodile Hunter spent most of 2005 filming and launching his new television series, New Breed Vets, to appear on the pay-TV channel Animal Planet.
In February, Irwin received an award for his contribution to tourism from Tourism Australia.
Over the last 12 months, he has also expanded his Australia Zoo wildlife park on the Sunshine Coast.
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September 3rd, 2006 at 10:39 pm
It is really sad.. i have a dvd of his with 10 deadliest snakes and he had become like a household name. Verry Verry sad… May his soul rest in peace