"Croc Hunter" killed in underwater accident

[Mouseferatu]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/04/australia.irwin/index.html

This really, really sucks, even if we almost had to expect something like it would happen to him eventually.

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

Great now I feel guilty about making all those jokes.

 

[demiurge1138]

He died as he lived - with the animals he loved, doing potentially dangerous things.

Stingray barb to the chest, what a way to go.

RIP Steve.

Demiurge out.

 

[Jakar]

I live just a short way from his home and I tell you the news went around like a wild fire.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Alas, since I think Steve would be against my avenging his death... I'll guess I'll just have to play Jaws on my NES emulator instead of going deep sea fishing.

 

[Digital M@]

Cheers! It is wonderful to see people who enjoy life so much and find a passion in what they do. He energy and enthusiasm was contagious. My thoughts and prayers go to his family, losing a husband and father can be one of the most emotionally difficult things people can go through.

 

[Taelorn76]

Wow that is a shocker. Somehow I always thought that he was safe with animals, and that is not how he would go.

 

[Villano]

On one of the morning show (The Today Show, I think), one of the hosts talked about the incident where he took his baby in with the crocs. He said that this event shouldn't overshadow his life, and then they showed a clip of Irwin defending his actions. He came off as a weirdo, saying that "everyone is an expert" (like it takes an expert to know that you shouldn't take your kid into a crocodile pit) and trying to say that living by a busy road is actually more dangerous.

I'm not trying to beat up on the guy now that he's dead, but this sort of proves his critics right. Wild animals are dangerous and unpredictable. Irwin was a professional who supposedly knew what he was doing and he was killed. He's lucky his kid wasn't killed years ago.

 

[6pakofdwarves]

I disagree Villano, I don't think this proves his critics right. The account I read said he did not know the stingray was there and he accidentally boxed it in. Then it struck him, had he been aware of what was happening I doubt he would have gotten in the same situation. He took risks, sure, but he DID know what he was doing. He never would have made it to 44 years of age if he didn't. It was nothing more than a freak accident I think. And my heart goes out to his family.

 

[Kesh]

From the reports, he made the classic mistake: in trying to get a better shot for the cameras, he cornered the stingray and made it feel threatened. That's the #1 thing you never do with an animal.

Never mind, they clarified that he didn't mean to. Stingrays do like to hide under the sand, so he may not have even known it was there.

Irwin was a greta host and a wonderful teacher. I'm going to miss seeing him on TV.