Deadliest Catch’s Lost Souls: Tragic Cast Deaths and the Unspoken Causes Behind the Losses
Deadliest Catch’s Lost Souls: Tragic Cast Deaths and the Unspoken Causes Behind the Losses
Deadliest Catch is known for its dangerous and life-threatening fishing missions. which have unfortunately led to several cast deaths.
Deadliest Catch gives insight into the dangerous industry of crab fishing as crew members risk their lives in search of the lucrative Alaskan king crab and snow crab.
Not only are the elements against them, but the Discovery Channel stars also endure extended periods at sea aboard the fishing vessels, making it the perfect scenario for personality clashes and drama.
The biggest challenge, however, is the physical toll of handling heavy machinery on choppy seas, with some even losing their lives.
Deadliest Catch cast deaths will never be forgotten – Todd Kochutin, Nick McGlashan, and more
At least 11 Discovery stars have passed away, but not all deaths were work-related.
Todd Kochutin
Todd Kochutin died on February 26, 2021 after sustaining injuries aboard the F/V Patricia Lee. The crew member was only 30 years old. Born in Anchorage, Alaska on August 15, 1990, Kochuten was struck by a crab pot, a cage used to bait and catch the crustacean. They can weigh up to 800lbs.
Deadliest Catch crew members were informed of Kochutin’s death on the show.
Nick McGlashan
Veteran commercial fisherman Nick McGlashan served as F/V Summer Bay‘s deck boss until his death on December 28, 2020. He had a long history of drug addiction and was found responsive in a hotel bathroom. The autopsy report obtained by The Sun states his cause of death was a suspected overdose.
Deadliest Catch honored the crew member in season 18 and documented the scattering of his ashes in the sea.
Eagle III crew members
The Eagle III appeared on Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove in 2016. The vessel capsized in treacherous waters and sank, killing Danny Matlock, 37; Josh Paulus, 31; and Blaine Steinmetz, 52.
The late crew members were aboard with Captain Glenn Burkhow, 52, when a 40ft wave hit the Eagle III. Burkhow survived the incident.
Captain Phil Harris
Beloved captain Phillip Charles Harris passed away on February 9 2010. The cause of death was reportedly to be an intracranial hemorrhage. He was 53 years old. The TV star, who appeared in five seasons of Deadliest Catch, suffered a stroke aboard Cornelia Marie during filming.
He was transported to a hospital and was placed in an induced coma. Harris’ condition waoke from the coma and his health improved but suffered a hemorrhage days later.
Mahlon Reyes
Deckhand Mahlon Reyes died on July 27, 2020 at age 38. He was rushed to a hospital in his hometown of Whitefish, Montana one day before after suffering a heart attack. According to People, he survived the heart attack but never regained consciousness. His family chose to remove him from life support.
In January 2021, the sheriff and the coroner at the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office told USA Today that Reyes died of acute cocaine intoxication. His death was ruled as accidental.
