Irwin death video 'destroyed'
2007-01-13 14:42
New York - The only video of Australian "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's fatal encounter with a stingray has been destroyed, says his widow.
Irwin, 44, died on September 4 when a stingray's serrated barb pierced his heart while he was filming under water off Australia's coast.
Australian authorities said last week that they had completed an investigation into Irwin's death and, to ensure it was never made public, destroyed all but one copy of a tape showing Irwin's death.
The incident was captured by the documentary crew of Ocean's Deadliest, the Discovery wildlife special Irwin was filming at the time of his death.
This video was handed to his widow, Terri Irwin, who told TV's Access Hollywood, in an interview to be aired on Thursday and Friday, that she had destroyed the footage.
"There's standard protocols for examining certain evidence and that's no longer necessary," she said.
Asked whether she had kept the video returned to her, she said, "Oh no, all footage has been destroyed."
Bindi launches career
But while the video of his death has been destroyed, footage from the rest of the shoot will make its debut in a one-off special on The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet on January 21 in a two-hour showing of Ocean's Deadliest.
"We're very proud that Steve's last documentary is going to air and that's his last footage with wildlife," said his widow.
Terri Irwin and the couple's eight-year-old daughter, Bindi, will be in the United States when the show is broadcast.
The youngster is kicking off her US show business career and promoting her own upcoming Discovery children's wildlife series, Bindi, The Jungle Girl.
In a series of US television interviews this week, Bindi spoke about the sadness of losing her father and her determination to pursue a career in show business, despite criticisms that her advisers were rushing her into the limelight.
"I want to make him the proudest dad to have me and I want to show everybody, and nearly be as good as him because he was the best," Bindi told CNN host Larry King.