Truth behind video of Steve Irwin’s death that nobody will ever see
Topics: World News, Social Media, Australia
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Australia Zoo via Getty Images
Topics: World News, Social Media, Australia
In 2006, Steve Irwin tragically died after he was attacked by a stingray while filming a documentary in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
Despite efforts to save his life, the zookeeper and conservationist passed away at the age of 44, leaving behind his wife Terri, and his two young children, Robert and Bindi.
Irwin's death shocked the world; meanwhile, his family have spent the last two decades continuing his life's mission to save the world's endangered species.
And despite nearly 20 years passing since Irwin's death, it's still a topic of conversation among his fans.
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On Reddit recently, a conversation regarding a reported video of Irwin's death began circulating.
The poster explained that despite reports that the video would never be seen or released, they believed they had already watched it.
They wrote: "This morning I saw an article trending on Twitter saying that video of Steve Irwin’s tragic Stingray incident was private and would never see the light of day.
"I think that’s a great idea. There’s only one problem. I can almost remember watching it vividly, as a child.
"I remember how clear the water seemed on the video. I remember the Stingray swimming up, it’s barb pierces his chest. He seemed like it hurt, then the blood starts to cloud the water.
"I think I may have seen it online, a time where internet restrictions were a little looser and was a little easier for a little boy to come across a tragic video if he really cared about the goings on.
"Am I just imagining this or do y’all remember too?"
Many pointed out that wife Terri had spoken about a fake video that had been circulating online following Irwin's death.
In 2018, Terri told You magazine: "After Steve died, 100 million viewers watched a video of his death that was released on YouTube.
"That film was a complete fabrication exploiting people’s sadness."
Despite fake videos circulating online, there was a real video of Irwin's death, but it has never been released.
Cameraman Justin Lyons and director John Stainton have since spoken about the clip and why they carried on filming after Irwin was attacked.
The Crocodile Hunter had always said that if anything happened during his animal encounters, he wanted the cameras to carry on filming.
When the stingray first attacked Irwin, Justin carried on filming, not realising the severity of what had happened until blood began to pool around him.
"As we're motoring back I'm screaming at one of the other crew in the boat to put their hand over the wound and we're saying to him things like, 'Think of your kids, Steve, hang on, hang on, hang on'," Justin told Channel Ten’s Studio 10 programme.
The initial attack, CPR attempts and the medical team arriving were all captured on film, a copy of which was handed to the police.
"I mean, it should be destroyed," John later told CNN.
"When that is finally released [from the coroner], it will never see the light of day. Ever. Ever. I actually saw it, but I don't want to see it again."
In 2007, authorities confirmed that all but one copy had been destroyed, with the remaining footage handed back to Terri.
However, Terri has also explained that she never watched it and has since destroyed the video.
She said: "I have never watched the real footage. Why would I? I know how my husband died and I was relieved that the children weren’t on the boat as they usually would be; it would have been horrendous if they had witnessed it."