'Crocodile Hunter' Steve Irwin killed by Stingray

vixen

http://today.reuters.com/news/ar ... AUSTRALIA-IRWIN.xml

By Paul Tait

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Steve Irwin, the quirky Australian naturalist who won worldwide acclaim, was killed by a stingray barb through the chest on Monday while diving off Australia's northeast coast, emergency officials and witnesses said.

"Steve was hit by a stingray in the chest," said local diving operator Steve Edmondson, whose Poseidon boats were out on the Great Barrier Reef when the accident occurred.

"He probably died from a cardiac arrest from the injury," he said.

Police and ambulance officials later confirmed Irwin had died and said his family had been advised.

Irwin, 44, was killed while filming an underwater documentary off Port Douglas.

Irwin had been diving off his boat "Croc One" near Batt Reef northeast of Port Douglas. A helicopter had taken paramedics to nearby Low Isles where Irwin was taken for medical treatment but he was dead before they arrived, police said.

Irwin won a global following for his dare-devil antics but also triggered outrage in 2004 by holding his then one-month-old baby while feeding a snapping crocodile at his Australian zoo.

He made almost 50 of his "Crocodile Hunter" documentaries which appeared on cable TV channel Animal Planet and won a worldwide audience.   

Continued...





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Finally,pawned by a fish......


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http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200609060903.htm

Tape of stingray attack on Steve should be destroyed: manager


Beerwah, Australia, Sept. 6 (AP): The videotape showing ``Crocodile Hunter'' Steve Irwin being fatally stabbed by a stringray should never be publicly aired, and should be destroyed as soon as official inquiries into the death are completed, the naturalist's manager said Wednesday.

John Stainton, a longtime friend of Irwin who was among the crew on the Great Barrier Reef when the TV star was killed on Monday and who has seen the video, said Irwin's fans should never see it.

``I mean, it should be destroyed,'' Stainton told CNN's ``Larry King Live.'' He noted the tape is now in the possession of police as evidence for a coroner. ``When that is finally released, it will never see the light of day. Ever. Ever. I actually saw it, but I don't want to see it again,'' he said.

Steve Irwin's father, Bob, on Tuesday thanked the public for their tributes to his son, and said that his naturalist son was aware of the risks of his career with wildlife and ``wouldn't have wanted it any other way.''
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[ Last edited by  vixen at 6-9-2006 02:24 PM ]

Thank you for posting the news vixen.

Although I always find Steve was a bit of wacko and over-acted, I would like to forward my heartiest condolence to his wife and family. :pray:

[ Last edited by  samerosie at 4-9-2006 03:46 PM ]

topeng perak

the whole world will acknowledge your talent ... steve your truly among the best zoologist ever .. ~

ct_og

Sedih gak sebab saya minat dengan dia ni... suka tengok kerenahnya dengan binatang... tak ramai mampu buat macam tu...

vixen

Not sure if its the same species that killed Steve but stingrays are known for their non-aggressive behaviour.

[ Last edited by  vixen at 5-9-2006 12:34 AM ]

vixen

Stingray Injury Causes
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Most stingray injuries typically occur when a person accidentally steps on a ray as it lies on the shallow, sandy bottom of a beach area. Rays often cover themselves with sand for camouflage while resting or hiding from predators, so they can be hard to see. When stepped upon or harassed, they swing or arch their tail in the direction of the intruder as a defensive maneuver to protect themselves. This drives their spine into the unwanted intruder. The ray? tail can reach all the way to the front of its head for protection.

People who step on a stingray most frequently are injured on their feet and lower legs. Hands and arms can be injured if a person tries to touch or catch one.

A fisherman, for example, can be injured removing a stingray from a net or fishing line.

In rare cases, the stingray's powerful spine has penetrated a person's abdomen or chest causing severe injury.


Rays found in home aquariums can cause injuries.

You can prevent injury by shuffling your feet while walking or wading through water to startle and shoo them away. Wearing footwear such as sneakers or dive booties may not help because the spine can penetrate them.

Don't try to chase or ride a stingray.

If you have hooked one, cut the line and release it. A seemingly dead ray can whip its tail in defense and cause an injury.

Certain rays, such as skates and manta rays, do not have a stinger at the base of their tails and are harmless.

Some rays in marine parks are friendly because they have become used to humans, and you can touch them. These rays are more likely to give you a hickey from the suction action created by their mouths when trying to feed on your hands. Venom is only located in the tail spine.

sedondon

Hari nih baru dengar berita. Ingatkan khabar angin.Sebab dulu pun keluar khabar angin steve mati dibaham buaya. Kali nih betul2 steve mati kena sengat ikan pari. Ngerinyer......tertikam jantung.

ariyamusafir

my condolences to his family.

RedChaSiew

Originally posted by samerosie at 4-9-2006 03:45 PM


Although I always find Steve was a bit of wacko and over-acted,  

Crikey!!

vixen

No that's not Steve Irwin..but note the injury and the Stringray's barb..and no that's NOT Steve Irwin..

[ Last edited by  vixen at 6-9-2006 02:27 PM ]

HangPC2

Originally posted by vixen at 6-9-2006 02:26 PM


No that's not Steve Irwin..but note the injury and the Stringray's barb..and no that's NOT Steve Irwin..

pergh dalam luka...

RedChaSiew

are there any good recipes for stingrays?

sedondon

masak asam pedas!!!!!!!!!!

The tail of the stingray is soooooo "powerful" that I was told it is used as a tool of "sebat" punishment.

Originally posted by sedondon at 8-9-2006 03:22 PM
masak asam pedas!!!!!!!!!!

Bakar pun sodap!

vixen

Originally posted by samerosie at 8-9-2006 03:43 PM
The tail of the stingray is soooooo "powerful" that I was told it is used as a tool of "sebat" punishment.

wow really? plus the barb is serrated and has toxin...some natives use it as tip of spear/arrow or something..

[ Last edited by  vixen at 9-9-2006 09:12 PM ]

vixen

SURVIVOR OF STINGRAY -  INJURY TO THE HEART
MJA 2001; 175: 33-34 - Beatrix Weiss MBBS FRACS & Hugh Wolfenden MBBS FRACS

Injuries to the extremities from stingray barbs are not uncommon along the Australian seaboard. Cardiac injuries from Stingray barbs are rare, even worldwide, and all but one have been fatal. We report a survivor of a cardiac injury caused by a stingray barb. Penetration of a body cavity by a stingray barb requires early surgical referral and management.

Australian coastal waters contain many species of stingrays, and injuries to the extremities caused by the barb or barbs on a stingray tail are not uncommon. These wounds are painful, and may develop necrosis and secondary infection. Penetration of a body cavity by a stingray barb may cause major morbidity and even death, particularly with cardiac injury, and requires early surgical referral and management.


CLINICAL RECORD :
A 33 year old man was snorkeling at Coogee, a popular Sydney swimming beach, when he was noticed to be in distress. He was rescued by lifeguards, and found to be unconscious, not breathing, and had an increased heart rate (150 beats/min). After a short period of expired air resuscitation performed on the beach, he regained consciousness and said he had been struck by the tail of a stingray. He complained of difficulty breathing and severe, left-sided chest pain where the tail had struck.

When paramedics arrived he was cyanosed, with a systolic blood pressure of 75 mmHg (usually 110 to 140) and sinus tachycardia (heart rate 150 beats/min), but with normal level of consciousness. He was given fluid resuscitation on the way to hospital with no improvement in blood pressure.

On arrival at the emergency department, he remained in cardiogenic shock with a low blood pressure and high heart rate, hypothermia (temperature of 31C), poor peripheral perfusion and central cyanosis. He had a 2 cm laceration over the lower left chest next to the sternum. His Glasgow coma score (level of consciousness; 15 normal, 3 dead) had deteriorated to 10. He was intubated and manually ventilated. Invasive monitoring catheters were inserted and cardiac support commenced with adrenaline.

Echocardiography revealed a cardiac tamponade, fluid trapped in the sac around the heart causing restriction to cardiac function. A needle drainage was performed and 150 ml of blood was aspirated from the pericardial sac. This resulted in prompt restoration of blood pressure to 170/80 mmHg, and reduction in heart rate to 100 beats/min.

Because of the possibility of foreign material in the pericardial space and the known necrotic effects of stingray venom, the patient was transferred to the operating theatre, where the chest was opened the pericardial space and left pleural cavity were explored. A puncture wound that had spontaneously sealed over was found in one of the coronary arteries. There was no injury to the cardiac muscle. No foreign material was found. The area was copiously irrigated to remove all potential venom. Intravenous antibiotics were commenced and continued for five days.

His recovery was uncomplicated. He was discharged home on the sixth day after the operation and was well at the two month follow up.
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[ Last edited by  vixen at 9-9-2006 09:24 PM ]

vixen

DISCUSSION:
Stingrays are the largest of the venomous fish, and there are many species in the Australian coastal waters. The tail of the stingray carries at least one barb or spine that may be up to 37 cm long. The barbs are cartilaginous and retroserrate, and covered by a film of venom and mucous contained within an integumentary sheath. Two longitudinal ventrolateral grooves contain venom secreting glands. Stingrays usually lie in the sand on the seabed. When disturbed by pressure over the dorsum of the body, the tail is thrust upward and forward, driving the barb in to the victim. Rupture of the integumentary sheath on penetration allows the venom to be released.

The venom contains toxic proteins. The effects of the venom may be local and/or systemic. Local effects include severe pain at the site of injury and tissue necrosis. Systemic effects include nausea, vomiting, salivation, sweating, respiratory depression, muscle fasciculation, convulsions, cramping abdominal pain, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial ischaemia and, rarely, death. Many of the systemic effects have been documented only in patients with viscus penetration (gut), and not in those with peripheral stingray injuries.

Local venom effects are usually more troublesome in peripheral stab injuries, but if the barb pierces a vital organ or structure mechanical damage may be more dangerous then the venom effects.

Instances of serious, penetrating, non-cardiac injuries include collection of pus within the chest three days after netting a stingray and sustaining a barb injury to the chest; penetration of the liver; multiple bowel perforations; and laceration of a femoral artery, with death by exsanguination. Penetrating cardiac injuries have generally been fatal.

In 1938, an adult women died after a stab wound to the heart by a stingray. The autopsy showed that the ventricles had been completely transfixed by the barb. An Australian soldier died in 1945 after a stab wound to the left heart, sustained while swimming in seawater baths near Melbourne, Victoria.

CURRENT MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR STINGRAY INJURIES:
Immersion of the affected part in hot water (about 45C) for at least 30 minutes for pain relief (relief is generally only effective while the affected part remains immersed).
X-ray of the affected body part to exclude the presence of cartilaginous barb remnants.
Local infiltration of local anaesthetic.
Systemic analgesia.
Careful wound examination, removal of foreign material, irrigation and debridement.
Heal by secondary intention (not closing the wound and allow to close from bottom up).
Antibiotic cover, broad spectrum.
Tetanus booster if required.
Early referral of confirmed or suspected penetrating injuries of chest or abdomen.
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[ Last edited by  vixen at 9-9-2006 09:51 PM ]

vitruvian_man

anyone knows if there's the footage of his last moment that we can watch?