Deadliest Catch Deckhand Drowns in Bering Sea

Todd Meadows, a 25-year-old deckhand featured on the Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch," drowned in the Bering Sea on February 25, 2026, after falling overboard from the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady during a crabbing operation off the coast of Alaska.

The incident occurred approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, where Meadows was working as part of the crew for the show's upcoming 22nd season. According to his death certificate, obtained by media outlets, Meadows succumbed to drowning with probable hypothermia and submersion of the body in cold water. He was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m. local time. A spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District confirmed that crew members recovered Meadows unresponsive about 10 minutes after he went into the water. First aid and resuscitation attempts failed, and his body was transported to Dutch Harbor before being cremated in Anchorage.

Meadows, a native of Washington state and father of three young boys, had recently joined the Aleutian Lady as its newest crew member. Captain Rick Shelford, who has appeared on the series since 2023, described the day as "the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering...