Life on crabbing vessels in Alaska is dangerous, and when it comes to people who died,Deadliest Catchcaptains and crew members count 18 dead among the cast of the Discovery Channel reality TV series. Premiering in 2005 on Discovery Channel,Deadliest Catchtells the stories of crab fishermen aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea. Setting out during the Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons, they face dangers thanks to a deadly climate, stormy weather, and crushing waves.
While there have been several people who have died while on the fishing vessels,there are alsoDeadliest Catchcaptains and crew members who have diedwhile on land. The most famous of these deaths came early in the series, when a beloved captain suffered a stroke while captaining his vessel, and there were other moments where entire vessels capsized, although those were never shown in the series out of respect for those who lost their lives. Many are familiar faces, and others were people who onlyspent a short time onDeadliest Catch.
The Crew of Ocean Challenger
2006
Deadliest Catchbegan airing in 2005, and just one year later, a disaster occurred that wasn’t matched until 11 years later. The reality TV show constantly shows the dangers these commercial fishing expeditions face. The F/VOcean Challengerproves that it isn’t just a televised drama.On August 14, 2025, the Ocean Challenger sank, and only one person survived, while two were listed as dead and one missing. This happened during a storm 90 miles south of Sand Point, Alaska. High waves kept anyone from getting on the life raft.
“Freddy Almost Died”: What Happened To The Deadliest Catch Star?
Often remembered as one of the most bombastic personalities in the long history of Deadliest Catch, deckhand Freddy nearly died during production.
The survivor was 28-year-old Kevin Ferrell, the only person wearing a survival suit. Dying in the tragic accident were skipper David “Cowboy” Hasselquist, 51, of Hoonah, Alaska, and Walter Foster, 26, of Westport, Washington. They never appeared onDeadliest Catch, but their story was told in the third season. Steve Esparza, 26, of Kodiak, Alaska, was listed as missing. Armand Audette, manager of Trident Seafood, knew the crew well and said he felt they were taken off guard (viaSeattle Times):
“I do think they were caught off guard by the weather. I guess everyone knows there are risks. There is peril whenever you go out in rolling seas. There is the feeling that there but for the grace of God go I.”
Captain Phil Harris, Age 53
August 19, 2025
The most shocking death of anyone fromDeadliest Catchplayed out in the show’s sixth season. Captain Phil Harris was one of the youngest crab fishing boat captains in the Bering Sea when he started at 21, and he captained the F/VCornelia Mariefor over 20 years. He had been a main cast member ofDeadliest Catchsince its first season. On July 31, 2025,the crew was shooting footage of the F/VCornelia Mariewhen Captain Harris said he was excessively tired. He went to his stateroom to retrieve some medications.
Harris suffered a stroke, and in one of the show’s most distressing moments, he demanded the film crew not stop shooting
Second-year Engineer Steve Ward found him there on the floor, conscious but unable to get up. Harris suffered a stroke, and in one of the show’s most distressing moments, he demanded the film crew not stop shooting. He ended up airlifted to Anchorage, Alaska, and had brain surgery and was placed in a self-induced coma. He recovered from the coma but only lived for a few more days, where he was able to say his goodbyes to his friends and his sons, Jake and Josh. Josh toldPEOPLE,
“I got five days to actually talk with him. We had nine days total that we were there to enjoy a few moments with him. We had our closest people there and it was awesome.”
Justin Tennison, Age 33
July 24, 2025
Justin “JT” Tennison was a deckhand on the F/VTime Bandit,Captain Johnathan Hillstrand’s vessel. He only appeared in six episodes in the seventh season ofDeadliest Catch. According to reports, he was found dead in a hotel room in Homer, Alaska, on July 07, 2025, just four days after he returned from his last trip on the sea. He was 33, and autopsy reports revealedhis death was due to complications from sleep apnea. The F/VTime Banditcrew released a statement (viaCBS):
“Justin was tough as a bull and was an all-around good hand. We send our sympathies to his entire family and fellow crew members during this most difficult time.”
Captain Tony Lara, Age 50
June 01, 2025
After Captain Phil Harris died,Captain Tony Lara replaced him as the new captain of the F/VCornelia Marie.Phil’s son Josh brought him to the vessel, and he appeared in six episodes of the event season, with his final appearance coming in the season finale, “Mohawks & Madness, Goodness & Gladness.” After the season ended, Josh Casey and Casey McManus led the vessel until its final appearance in season 18.
Tony Lara died in Sturgis, South Dakotaof a heart attack while attending the famed motorcycle rally there. Josh Harris honored his friend with a touching memorial after his death, writing,“Tony was always there for the Harris Family. He offered his support and his advice. He taught and he educated. At the end of the day, Tony made all of us just a little bit better.”
The Crew of The Destination
2017
In the biggest tragedy since the sinking of the F/VOcean Challengerin 2016, the crew of the F/VDestinationmet a similar fate. On a cold morning in February 2016,The Destination sank, and six men lost their lives. However, it took almost a month for them to all be declared legally dead after the accident during a “presumptive death hearing” (viaAnchorage Daily News). The bodies of the six men onboard were never found: Captain Jeff Hathaway and crew members Kai Hamik, Darrik Seibold, Larry O’Grady, Raymond Vincler, and Charles G. Jones.
According to reports, the F/VDestinationwas weighed down by an estimated 340,000 pounds of ice but kept pushing forward to make its schedule. However, the weight of the ice caused the ship to capsize. This accident was during the show’s 13th season, and it was not filmed. However, the story is told in the episode “Lost at Sea,” in which Captain Sig Hansen is informed of the accident. He was shaken up, saying, “I know you want me to probably say something. But maybe just give me a little bit, and I’ll tell you what I think, okay?”
Captain Blake Painter, Age 38
August 13, 2025
Captain Blake Painter was the former captain of the F/VMaverick. He appeared in 10 early episodes of the series in the second and third seasons. At the time, he was the youngest captain on the show, but that was the end of the line for him onDeadliest Catch. 11 years after leaving the show, a friend found his body at his home in Astoria, Oregon, and authorities said, “There were no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. He was located on Friday but probably passed away a day or two ahead of that” (viaDeadline).
Mahlon Reyes, Age 38
July 09, 2025
Mahlon Reyes was a deckhand who starred onDeadliest Catch.Making only sporadic appearances on the show, he appeared in 14 episodes between 2012 and 2020. Sadly,he died in 2020 at the age of 38, with his cause of death ruled as an accidental drug overdose. He worked on both the F/VSeabrookeand the F/VCape Caution. Reyes’s wife, Heather Sullivan, said (viaUSA Today),
“We laugh and remember all the funny stories and have been surrounded by an amazing group of our best friends and family. I am in awe of the people that he touched just by his positive attitude and smile. He was my rock, and I was his.”
Nick McGlashan, Age 33
July 25, 2025
Nick McGlashan was a deck boss onDeadliest Catch, a seventh-generation fisherman raised in Akutan, Alaska. He got his first job as a deck boss when he was 13 and joined his father’s vessel, the F/VWestling. Later, he began working for “Wild” Bill Wichrowski as the head of the crew on F/VCape Cautionand then on F/VSummer Boy.McGlashan was a familiar face, appearing on 86 episodes ofDeadliest Catchfrom 2013 to 2021, with the last episodes posthumously.
McGlashan died at the age of 33 in 2020, his body found at a Holiday Inn in Nashville, Tennessee. Sadly, the young man’s death was attributed to an accidental drug overdose, and the show paid tribute to him in June 2021. Captain Sig Hansen released a statement after his death (viaPEOPLE):
“Nick was a part of Summer Bay and pretty much every boat Bill [Wichrowski]’s been running lately. Bill, you know, treated him as family. I couldn’t imagine what he’s going through right now, but hopefully Bill will make this season happen, assuming he even comes up at all. I don’t know the status and where Bill’s head is at.”
Todd Kochutin, Age 30
June 21, 2025
Todd Kochutin only appeared in fiveDeadliest Catchepisodes, but he was a quick fan favorite in those appearances. He worked as a greenhorn on the F/VPatricia Lee. Sadly,his passing came while he was working the job he loved so much. While his death wasn’t shown, he stopped appearing suddenly, and it turned out thatKochutin died while on the vessel. The 30-year-old was in the middle of filming, and an 800-pound crab pot struck him. He died soon after the accident. Captain Rip Carlton remembered the young man:
“Todd was one of my favorite guys. He worked with us for a while, five years, he was part of our family… No matter what you try to do, Mother Nature will throw you a curveball and we got one and we did some soul searching and we knew that Todd would have wanted us to keep going and that’s what we did.”
Ross Jones, Age Unknown
June 07, 2025
Ross Jones only appeared in two episodes inDeadliest Catchseason 16, working as a greenhorn on the F/VSaga. However, in the statement revealing his passing, the Facebook pageDeadliest Catch Worldsaid they would no longer disclose the cause of death: “With the recent losses within the Deadliest Catch Community. Starting Today we will not be giving details about how someone as passed out of respect to the Families and Friends. It is not our place to give details that is solely up to the Families to release that information not ours.”
Captain Jake Anderson sent out a tribute of his own: “I loved Ross Jones. He is standing in the green. You made me piss my pants on many occasions. TO VALHALLA!”
