44 year old Steve Irwin, one of the most popular Australian TV presenters, nicknamed "Crocodile Hunter", and manager of the Australian Zoo in Queensland, died on Monday morning in a marine accident near Port Douglas, north of Cairns, on the Australian northern coast, the Great Barrier Reef, Australian media announced, cited by the CNN.

Cairns police officers issued an official statement on Monday morning, asserting that Irwin had been diving in the waters of Port Douglas while filming an underwater documentary, when he was struck by a stingray barb around his chest that caused heart failure, which is the main cause that made his death a very fast one. Paramedics stated that had the sting been in his arm or his leg, they could have been able to do something to save him.

Queensland police confirmed the news of Steve Irwin's death and stated that Irwin's family, surviving members wife Terri and their two children, Bindi Sue, aged 8, and Robert, born December 2003, had been notified of this tragic accident. In addition to that, ambulance officers confirmed the fact that they had attended what they called a reef fatality near Port Douglas on Monday morning, but they did not provide more details.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer issued an official statement as well, as he expressed his profound regret of what had happened and to highlight his keen fondness of Irwin and for what he had contributed with in order to make Australian wildlife popular on a global level.

Steve Irwin had become a very popular character both on the Australian, as well as international level, through his often dangerous management of wildlife animals, like crocodiles and snakes, but especially the relocation of crocodiles from one environment to another. He gained many fans through the way in which he approached the conservation of nature and the handling of environment issues. He was also very popular for his catchphrase "Crikey!" that he used on numerous occasions. However, his image had been overshadowed by a very dangerous act that he committed in 2004, when he fed a crocodile at the Australian Zoo, while holding his one month old boy Robert in his arms.