Monday September 4, 05:10 PM Steve Irwin remembered as an 'amazing Australian'
By 7News Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has been killed in a stingray attack near Cairns on Australia's far north coast. It is understood he was killed by a stingray barb that went through his chest and wounded him near his heart.
He was swimming near Batt Reef off the coast of Port Douglas filming an underwater documentary when the tragedy occurred.
An emergency services helicopter was flown to the area about 11am (AEST) with a doctor and paramedic on board but it was too late for the Aussie icon.
His producer and closest friend, John Stainton said the world has lost a great wildlife icon, a passionate conservationist and one of the proudest dads on the planet.
"He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind," he said.
John Wiegal, owner of the Australian Reptile Park on the New South Wales Central Coast, and a long time friend of Irwin said his death was a terrible shock.
"He was such a larger than life character - this was not supposed to happen," Mr Wiegal said.
"What a lot of people did not realise is that enthusiasm and that focus was geniuine - he was reeved up on all 16 cylinders all the time."
Mr Wiegal said he hoped Irwin's wife Terri could continue his work.
Marine expert at Oceanworld in Sydney, Victoria Brims, told 7News if a person is stung by a stingray in the chest, they could suffer an allergic reaction and a heart attack.
"People are stung very often but it is very rare that someone is killed by a stingray," she said.
Stingray attacks are extremely rare and there have only been two similar deaths reported in Australia.
"You would have to be stung in a crucial area like the heart," Ms Brims added.
Irwin's wife Terri was trekking on Tasmania's Cradle Mountain and local authorities have informed her of her husband's death.
Irwin was best known for his documentary series The Crocodile Hunter.
He was born in Victoria and found his love of animals after following in his father's footsteps, volunteering his services to the Queensland Government's East Coast Crocodile Management program.
He spent years living on his own in the mosquito infested creeks, rivers and mangroves of North Queensland, catching huge crocodiles single-handed.
In June 1992, he married American Terri Raines after they met when she visited Irwin's Australia Zoo.
The 44-year-old is survived by his wife and two children, Bindi and Robert.
Prime Minister John Howard said Irwin captured the immagination of Australia and the world through The Crocodile Hunter.
"Steve was also a passionate environmentalist who used his television programmes and his award-winning Australia Zoo to promote a serious conservation message," Mr Howard said.
"He made an extraordinary contribution to creating a widespread appreciation of the value and uniqueness of Australian wildlife.
"Steve was a dynamic personality who will be greatly missed by his legion of fans in Australia and around the world."
Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of The Nationals, Mark Vaile, said Australians will be saddened and shocked by the sudden death of Mr Irwin.
"I was a tremendous fan of Steve Irwin because of his larger than life personality and his ability to highlight wildlife conservation in a way that people from all walks of life could identify with," Mr Vaile said.
"Steve was an amazing Australian."
Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the loss of Mr Irwin would be sorely felt.
"Steve made a signification contribution to the conservation of many other species through his work establishing the Australia Wildlife Hospital at Beerwah, research projects on koalas, wombats and other threatened species," Mr Beattie said.
People have begun laying flowers in memory of Mr Irwin at his family's animal park, Australia Zoo, north of Brisbane.
