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| Irwin 'pulled barb out of chest' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Videotape of the moment Steve Irwin was hit by a stingray's tail reportedly shows the Australian naturalist pulling the venom-coated barb from his chest. | |
| "The tail came up, and spiked him here [in the chest], and he pulled it out and the next minute he's gone," Mr Irwin's manager, John Stainton, said. | "The tail came up, and spiked him here [in the chest], and he pulled it out and the next minute he's gone," Mr Irwin's manager, John Stainton, said. |
| Queensland state police have now taken the tape to be used in an inquest into the incident on the Great Barrier Reef. | Queensland state police have now taken the tape to be used in an inquest into the incident on the Great Barrier Reef. |
| The much-loved TV star could be given a state funeral if his family agree. | The much-loved TV star could be given a state funeral if his family agree. |
| On Tuesday, Australia's federal parliament paused to honour Mr Irwin, whom Prime Minister John Howard said had died in "quintessentially Australian circumstances". | On Tuesday, Australia's federal parliament paused to honour Mr Irwin, whom Prime Minister John Howard said had died in "quintessentially Australian circumstances". |
| If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean Steve Irwin's manager John Stainton Mr Howard quoted Australian-based actor Russell Crowe, who had paid tribute to Mr Irwin earlier, saying "Steve Irwin was the Australian many of us aspire to be". | If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean Steve Irwin's manager John Stainton Mr Howard quoted Australian-based actor Russell Crowe, who had paid tribute to Mr Irwin earlier, saying "Steve Irwin was the Australian many of us aspire to be". |
| Mr Irwin had been in the water at Batt Reef, off the resort town of Port Douglas about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Cairns, filming bull stingrays for a TV documentary called Ocean's Deadliest. | Mr Irwin had been in the water at Batt Reef, off the resort town of Port Douglas about 100 kilometres (62 miles) north of Cairns, filming bull stingrays for a TV documentary called Ocean's Deadliest. |
| 'Ray spooked' | 'Ray spooked' |
| Cameraman Ben Cropp, who was also on the reef when Mr Irwin was killed on Monday, spoke to a member of the production crew who had seen the footage of the incident. | Cameraman Ben Cropp, who was also on the reef when Mr Irwin was killed on Monday, spoke to a member of the production crew who had seen the footage of the incident. |
| "He was up in the shallow water, probably 1.5m to 2m deep, following a bull ray which was about a metre across the body - probably weighing about 100kg, and it had quite a large spine," Mr Cropp told The Australian newspaper. | "He was up in the shallow water, probably 1.5m to 2m deep, following a bull ray which was about a metre across the body - probably weighing about 100kg, and it had quite a large spine," Mr Cropp told The Australian newspaper. |
| "It probably felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead, and it felt there was danger and it baulked. | "It probably felt threatened because Steve was alongside and there was the cameraman ahead, and it felt there was danger and it baulked. |
| STINGRAYS Members of the Dasyatidae family of cartilaginous fish, with about 70 species worldwideMostly found in tropical seas, but exist in freshwater tooFeed primarily on molluscs and crustaceans on sea floorSwim with flying motion using large pectoral wingsUsually docile, not known to attack aggressivelyEquipped with venom-coated razor-sharp barbed or serrated tail, up to 20cm long "It stopped and went into a defensive mode and swung its tail with the spike." | STINGRAYS Members of the Dasyatidae family of cartilaginous fish, with about 70 species worldwideMostly found in tropical seas, but exist in freshwater tooFeed primarily on molluscs and crustaceans on sea floorSwim with flying motion using large pectoral wingsUsually docile, not known to attack aggressivelyEquipped with venom-coated razor-sharp barbed or serrated tail, up to 20cm long "It stopped and went into a defensive mode and swung its tail with the spike." |
| Though armed with a venom-coated, sharp barb on their tail, stingrays only use the weapon defensively and attacks on humans are extremely rare. | Though armed with a venom-coated, sharp barb on their tail, stingrays only use the weapon defensively and attacks on humans are extremely rare. |
| Mr Stainton, who was with the TV crew on the reef, described watching the footage of the incident as the "terrible" experience of watching a friend die. | Mr Stainton, who was with the TV crew on the reef, described watching the footage of the incident as the "terrible" experience of watching a friend die. |
| He said that the incident happened so fast that the underwater cameraman only realised what had happened when he noticed that Mr Irwin was bleeding. | He said that the incident happened so fast that the underwater cameraman only realised what had happened when he noticed that Mr Irwin was bleeding. |
| "That was it. The cameraman had to shut down," Mr Stainton said. | "That was it. The cameraman had to shut down," Mr Stainton said. |
| Mr Irwin is believed to have been pierced in the heart and died almost immediately. | Mr Irwin is believed to have been pierced in the heart and died almost immediately. |
| Websites overwhelmed | Websites overwhelmed |
| Mr Stainton said that in the past he and the TV star had discussed the dangers he faced in the sea, an element he was not used to operating in. | Mr Stainton said that in the past he and the TV star had discussed the dangers he faced in the sea, an element he was not used to operating in. |
| "If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean," Mr Stainton said. "On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over." | "If ever he was going to go, we always said it was going to be the ocean," Mr Stainton said. "On land he was agile, quick-thinking, quick-moving and the ocean puts another element there that you have no control over." |
| Mr Irwin's body has been transferred to Cairns for an autopsy. | Mr Irwin's body has been transferred to Cairns for an autopsy. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY His programmes were a joy to watch Graham RodhouseHelmond, Netherlands Send us your reaction Obituary: Wildlife showman Irwin in pictures The TV presenter is survived by his wife Terri and two children, eight-year-old daughter Bindi Sue and three-year-old son Bob. | HAVE YOUR SAY His programmes were a joy to watch Graham RodhouseHelmond, Netherlands Send us your reaction Obituary: Wildlife showman Irwin in pictures The TV presenter is survived by his wife Terri and two children, eight-year-old daughter Bindi Sue and three-year-old son Bob. |
| No funeral arrangements have been announced yet, but Queensland State Premier Peter Beattie said Mr Irwin would be given a state funeral if his family approved. | No funeral arrangements have been announced yet, but Queensland State Premier Peter Beattie said Mr Irwin would be given a state funeral if his family approved. |
| Mr Irwin was regarded by many Australians as a national treasure and as news of his death broke, news websites across the country found it difficult to cope with the demand for information. | Mr Irwin was regarded by many Australians as a national treasure and as news of his death broke, news websites across the country found it difficult to cope with the demand for information. |
| Tributes flowed in from Mr Irwin's fellow conservationists and his many fans around the world and across the country on Tuesday the morning papers devoted their front pages to news of his death. | Tributes flowed in from Mr Irwin's fellow conservationists and his many fans around the world and across the country on Tuesday the morning papers devoted their front pages to news of his death. |