Death of Steve Irwin

Death of Steve Irwin
Date4 September 2006; 18 years ago (2006-09-04)
Time2:26 p.m. AEST (UTC+10:00)
LocationBatt Reef, Port Douglas, Queensland
CausePierced in the chest by a short-tail stingray during filming of Ocean's Deadliest
DeathsSteve Irwin

On 4 September 2006, Australian zookeeper, conservationist, and television programmer Steve Irwin was killed by a stingray while filming in the Great Barrier Reef. The stingray's barb pierced his chest, penetrating his thoracic wall and heart, causing massive trauma. He was at Batt Reef, near Port Douglas, Queensland, taking part in the production of an underwater documentary Ocean's Deadliest. During a lull in filming caused by inclement weather, Irwin decided to snorkel in shallow waters while being filmed in an effort to provide footage for Bindi the Jungle Girl, his daughter Bindi's television programme.

Irwin's death is the only fatality from a stingray captured on video, although it has not been released to the public, and is one of the few human deaths from stingrays.[1][2][3][4] Production of the documentary was completed and was broadcast on the Discovery Channel four months after Irwin's death. The documentary was completed with footage shot in the weeks following the incident, but without including any mention of Irwin's death,[5][6] aside from a tribute to Irwin at the end.

  1. ^ "Widow: 'Croc Hunter' thought he'd die young". CNN. 27 September 2006. Archived from the original on 28 September 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Stingray Deaths Rare and Agonizing". CNN. Reuters. 4 September 2006. Archived from the original on 21 September 2006. Retrieved 4 September 2006.
  3. ^ "Steve Irwin death film given to wife". Reuters. 21 January 2007. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Video of 'Croc Hunter's' death destroyed". United Press International. 2 January 2007. Archived from the original on 15 December 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  5. ^ "Crocodile Hunter's final stunt with sea snake". The Daily Telegraph. UK. 30 December 2006. Archived from the original on 3 May 2007. Retrieved 15 April 2007.
  6. ^ "Crocodile Hunter's Last Show Completed". International Business Times. 6 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.