Hi guys, I was really sad this morning too. He's going to leave such a massive gap in the lives of his family and friends.
Having had friends die in apparently 'freak' accidents, I have a belief that no true accident is the cause of one thing. It is always a process of events. 'Maybe' that stingray had been attacked by something recently and was on guard, 'maybe' steve didn't know as much about the animal as some of the reptiles he studies, 'maybe' he turned the wrong way at the wrong time. I don't think this was inevitable per se, but I do think it was a horrible thing to happen, and I think that guy had so much more left to give. I really hope the press don't start trying to find someone to blame.
But it has happened, and I hope his work continues, and his family find a way of surviving it. It really has made me sad. :o(