Death film destroyed, Irwin’s widow says

The only remaining video of Australian “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin’s fatal encounter with a stingray has been destroyed, according to his widow.

Irwin, 44, died on Sept. 4 last year after a stingray’s serrated barb pierced his heart while he was filming underwater off Australia’s coast.

Australian authorities last week said they had completed an investigation into Irwin’s death and, to ensure it is 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 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” program during an interview that she had now destroyed that footage as well.

“There’s standard protocols for examining certain evidence, and that’s no longer necessary,” she told “Access Hollywood.”

Asked whether she kept the video returned to her, she said, “Oh, no, all footage has been destroyed.”

Footage from the rest of the shoot will make its debut in a special on the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet on Jan. 21 with 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.