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| Tape reveals Irwin's last moment | Tape reveals Irwin's last moment |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The moment Australian TV naturalist Steve Irwin was attacked and killed by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef was reportedly caught on camera. | The moment Australian TV naturalist Steve Irwin was attacked and killed by a stingray on the Great Barrier Reef was reportedly caught on camera. |
| However, there are conflicting accounts of the details of Monday's incident. | However, there are conflicting accounts of the details of Monday's incident. |
| His manager John Stainton was initially quoted as telling reporters that Mr Irwin had pulled the venom-coated barb from his chest before he died. | His manager John Stainton was initially quoted as telling reporters that Mr Irwin had pulled the venom-coated barb from his chest before he died. |
| However, speaking to CNN, Mr Stainton has said that those reports were "rubbish" and based on rumours. | However, speaking to CNN, Mr Stainton has said that those reports were "rubbish" and based on rumours. |
| 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. |
| He is reported to have been swimming above the rays when one of them flicked up its tail, piercing him in the chest with its barb. | He is reported to have been swimming above the rays when one of them flicked up its tail, piercing him in the chest with its barb. |
| 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 According to reports in the Australian press and elsewhere on Tuesday, Mr Stainton told reporters that he had seen the footage of Mr Irwin's death and that it had shown the man known as the Crocodile Hunter pull the barb from his chest. | 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 According to reports in the Australian press and elsewhere on Tuesday, Mr Stainton told reporters that he had seen the footage of Mr Irwin's death and that it had shown the man known as the Crocodile Hunter pull the barb from his chest. |
| However, speaking in a telephone interview with CNN that aired late on Monday, Mr Stainton denied that this was the case. | However, speaking in a telephone interview with CNN that aired late on Monday, Mr Stainton denied that this was the case. |
| When asked by interviewer Rick Sanchez whether Mr Irwin had pulled the barb out Mr Stainton responded: | When asked by interviewer Rick Sanchez whether Mr Irwin had pulled the barb out Mr Stainton responded: |
| "Don't you hear a lot of rumours and, and stuff that goes around on these things? And it's just absolute rubbish." | "Don't you hear a lot of rumours and, and stuff that goes around on these things? And it's just absolute rubbish." |
| Mr Stainton also denied that he had watched the tape, as had been reported, saying that he couldn't bear to watch it. | Mr Stainton also denied that he had watched the tape, as had been reported, saying that he couldn't bear to watch it. |
| 'Ray spooked' | 'Ray spooked' |
| 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. |
| 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 said he 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 said he 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. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY His programmes were a joy to watch Graham RodhouseHelmond, Netherlands Send us your reaction Obituary: Wildlife showman Irwin in pictures "It stopped and went into a defensive mode and swung its tail with the spike." | HAVE YOUR SAY His programmes were a joy to watch Graham RodhouseHelmond, Netherlands Send us your reaction Obituary: Wildlife showman Irwin in pictures "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 Irwin's body has been transferred to Cairns for an autopsy. | Mr Irwin's body has been transferred to Cairns for an autopsy. |
| The TV presenter is survived by his wife, Terri, and two children, their eight-year-old daughter Bindi Sue and three-year-old son Bob. | |
| State funeral offer | State funeral offer |
| 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. |
| 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". |
| 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 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 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. |