Since 2005, Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” has taken viewers aboard the high-stakes world of Alaskan crab fishing, where crews battle towering waves, dangerous equipment, and brutal weather to haul in king crab.
Regulars like Captains Sig Hansen, Keith Colburn, Jake Anderson, and Jonathan Hillstrand have become fan favorites, though some crew members have joined later seasons while others departed early.
But one new crew member’s life and experience filming on the “Deadliest Catch” was tragically cut short on Feb. 25, and fans are only now learning the cause of death, with some questioning if what really happened on set is far more chilling than anyone expected.
Captain Rick Shelford first informed the public via a Facebook post about the “tragic day” of Todd Meadows’ passing a week later in March. Meadows, a deckhand aboard Aleutian Lady since May 2025, was in the middle of filming and sorting through crabs from inside a shellfish trap in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska when he ended up going overboard.
Trey John Green III, who was also a deckhand and a cast member, recalled the tragic events to Page Six. “We’re like, ‘Holy crap, he’s gonna sink to the bottom. We’re not gonna have any way to get this pot back up,” he said.
Green said he saw Meadows climb out of the crab pot and swim in water that was only one or two degrees above freezing. He added that it took a rescue member about four minutes to get Meadows out of the water, but by then it was already too late, and his body was “lifeless.”
TMZ officially listed his cause of death as “drowning with probable hypothermia” and “submersion of body in cold water.” Meadows’ passing came as a shock to his friends and family as well as longtime supporters of the show.
His family has raised nearly $60k of their $65k goal to help assist with funeral expenses and help ease the financial burden in the months ahead.
Readers were stunned to learn of Meadows’ cause of death, reacting with remorse about a father who passed away while trying to make a living.
One person said, “How heartbreaking. Bless him.”
Another person typed, “I’m so sorry this happened. Rest in heavenly peace, Todd. A young life taken way too soon.”
A third commenter was not satisfied with the report, writing, “Not necessarily obvious what caused his death until it’s investigated. What if he was hit over the head, which caused him to fall in? What if he has a heart attack, which caused him to fall in?”
On March 2, Captain Shelford first announced Meadows’ passing on Facebook.
He said, “We lost our brother, Todd Meadows … was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”
In memory of his “brother,” Shelford shared four photos of the Montesano, Washington, native on the job, whom he described as a hardworking person who loved his life and family, asking his followers to pray for Meadows’ two children and family.
“Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood. Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him. Rest easy brother, till we meet again,” he said, ending the caption of the post.
Filming for season 22 is now complete; however, it’s unclear what will end up airing. But Meadows’ mother, Angela Meadows, shares her hope that the network will honor her son in the right way and not exploit his story.
“We don’t want to see any footage from the accident and do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son’s death,” she told TMZ on March 4. “We hope they only air good things of Todd on that boat.”
Tragedy has touched the “Deadliest Catch” cast multiple times over the years. Recent losses include deckhand Nick Marvar, who died at 59 in June 2024, deck boss Nick McGlashan, who passed at 33 in 2020, and former Captain Blake Painter, found dead at 38 in 2018. Other cast members who have died include Captain Phil Harris, deckhand Justin Tennison, and former Captain Tony Lara.
