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Erik de Haart, a Sydney man who was hailed a hero after risking his life to save others in the 2002 Bali bombings, has died at the age of 67.
The Coogee Dolphins rugby league club, which de Haart was a member of, confirmed the news on social media on Monday.
“It is with profound sadness that we advise of the sudden passing of Coogee Dolphins life member Erik de Haart,” the post said.
“Erik was a loyal servant, life member & sponsor of our club. He will forever be remembered in the immediate aftermath of the Bali tragedy of 2002 as a hero.”
Wayne Hack, the Dolphins club president, offered “heartfelt sympathies to Erik’s immediate and extended family and his many friends”.
A selfless man who saved many lives
De Haart was on a Coogee Dolphins team holiday in Bali when a bomb was detonated near a bar called the Sari Club, where they had been having drinks.
He was returning to the venue after helping a friend to go home at the time of the explosion.
De Haart — who lost six friends in the attack — spent hours pulling people out of the burning beach club.
The 67-year-old regularly appeared in the media to commemorate lives lost in the bombings, where his acts of bravery saved multiple lives.
A total of 202 people, including 88 Australians, were killed in the attacks, which also targeted another nightclub in Kuta and a US consular office in Denpasar.
While appearing on SBS Insight in 2016, de Haart recalled pulling people out of the burning club to get them to safety.
“It was a bizarre situation, there were cars burning, people running around on fire, people bleeding, there was blood and guts everywhere,” de Haart said.
“I’d probably been in and out half a dozen times.”
Friends and family of de Haart posted tributes online on Monday.
“Thank you for always being a great role model to my children,” one post read.
Another praised de Haart’s love and warmth, referring to him as “Erik de big Haart”.
