17-02-2025
Bali bombing hero dies aged 67
A Sydney man credited with saving lives in the immediate aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings has died.
Erik de Haart was with the Coogee Dolphins rugby league team in Kuta when terrorists detonated bombs in two busy bars; 202 people died, including 88 Australians.
Mr De Haart is credited with pulling people out of the wreckage.
He died aged 67 died of a suspected heart attack on Sunday.
Mr de Haart was a devotee and life member of the Coogee Dolphins.
'It is with profound sadness that we advise of the sudden passing of Coogee Dolphins life member Erik de Haart,' club president Wayne Hack said in a statement.
'Erik was a loyal servant, life member and sponsor of our club.
'He will forever be remembered in the immediate aftermath of the Bali tragedy of 2002 as a hero. Erik continued his ongoing support of the Coogee Dolphins for many years and in 2005 was honoured with a life membership.
'The Coogee Dolphins would like to extend our deepest and heartfelt sympathies to Erik's immediate and extended family and his many friends.'
Mr de Haart lost six friends in the terrorist attack on October 12, 2002. Two nightclubs were targeted; more Australians were killed than any other nationality. Numerous Australian sporting teams were on post-season trips at the time.
Mr de Haart had been helping a teammate back to the hotel when the Sari Club and Paddy's Bar were attacked. The incident was the largest loss of Australian life in a terrorist attack.
'On the right Paddy's bar was well alight and a girl came past and her arm was just hanging by a scrap of skin. I looked to the left and it was utter, utter chaos,' Mr de Haart told the ABC on the 10 – year anniversary.
'I raced up to the front of the Sari Club and it was just a nightmare – people screaming, people on fire. I'm trying to find the boys – I couldn't see any of the boys. I just started going into the Sari Club and there were bodies lying everywhere.'
Mr de Haart recalled pulling people from the wreck as locals ferried victims to hospital.
'I grabbed this guy on a bike and said, 'Take him to hospital'. And this little guy looked up at me and said, 'How am I going to hold him up and ride my bike?' But he did. The Indonesian guys kept coming along in their cars and taking people from us.
'I've got all scars and burns on the bottom of my legs from kicking up ashes. At the time you were oblivious to it; all the time you were trying to get people out,' he told the ABC.
'Coming back for me was quite possibly the toughest time. That was when the guilt hit me. I thought, 'I've let so many people down. I went away with them and didn't bring them home'. It took me a long time to forgive myself.'
