Crocodile Hunter's Death Still Under Investigation
Medical News Today / 06 Sep 2006
Only after police have finished interviewing key witnesses of Steve Irwin's (Crocodile Hunter's) tragic death will the Cairns Coroner decide whether or not to hold an inquest. According to local Queensland police, this could take several days.
Mike Keating, Police Superintendent, Cairns, said "
This is an investigation that will continue and we will report to the Coroner when it is completed. I don't think anything will be solved in two or three days - there is a series of interviews being done. There is probably more to do." Safety officials have already inspected Irwin's boat, ‘
Croc One'.
Steve Irwin was fatally wounded when a stingray's barbed tail stabbed his heart on Monday. He was filming a documentary on the dangerous marine see creatures of the Great Barrier Reef. It is a sad irony that the ‘
Crocodile Hunter', a man who had faced some of the world's most dangerous animals, was killed by a generally passive animal. Stingrays usually swim off when divers approach and only attack in self defence - even then, injuries are generally to the legs. Only three people in Australia's history have been killed by a stingray.
Video footage of Steve Irwin's final moments were handed over to the police, who say his death was not suspicious. Most people believe there will not be an inquest as his death was not suspicious.
Stingray venom
The stingray's venom contains:
Serotonin
Causes inexorable pain in the region of the injury.
5-nucleotidase and Phosphodiesterase
These two are responsible for the necrosis and tissue breakdown common with stingray envenomations.
Steve was struck in the chest - his heart was perforated. There was absolutely nothing anyone could have done to save his life.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Crocodile Hunter's Death Still Under Investigation
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