‘Deadliest Catch’ deckhand Todd Meadows lost at sea at age 25

Todd Meadows, the 25-year-old deckhand from Deadliest Catch, tragically died after falling overboard while working on the Aleutian Lady in the Bering Sea.

According to his death certificate, released Monday, April 6, Meadows’ cause of death was “drowning with probable hypothermia” and “submersion of body in cold water.” The autopsy ruled his passing an accident.

The incident occurred on the evening of Wednesday, February 25, approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

The United States Coast Guard Arctic District confirmed that Meadows fell overboard while performing his duties. Crew members recovered him unresponsive roughly 10 minutes later, but resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.

“Coast Guard watchstanders at the Arctic District command center in Juneau received notification from the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady, reporting that a crew member by the name of Todd Meadows fell overboard,” the statement read.

“He was recovered unresponsive by the crew. First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, and the crew transported the deceased to Dutch Harbor.”

Meadows, who appeared on the Discovery Channel series as a deckhand, was filming for the upcoming season at the time of his death.

Captain Rick Shelford, who worked alongside Meadows, paid tribute to the young deckhand in a heartfelt Facebook post.

“February 25, 2026, was the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea,” Shelford wrote.

“We lost our brother, Todd Meadows. Todd 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… is something we will carry with us always.”