Deadliest Catchhas captivated fans for 16 seasons — but the Discovery Channel series has also faced its fair share of tragedy.
Four years ago, Captain Sig Hansensuffered a heart attackwhile filming. When it happened, the fisherman wanted to keep going, but the crew insisted hereceive medical attention, so he was air-lifted to a medical facility in Anchorage, Alaska.
“That was close,” Hansen later told PEOPLE Now. “That was like a 50/50 chance.”
Others weren’t so lucky. The Emmy-winning documentary series portrays real-life events aboard fishing vessels in the perilous, icy waters of the Bering Sea, depicting how crab fishing in Alaska is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Not allDeadliest Catchfatalities, however, happened at sea — here’s a look back at the show’s late stars.
Nick McGlashan
McGlashan, who worked as deck boss on the Discovery series,died on Sunday in Nashville, according toTMZ, which first reported the news. He was 33. The cause of death is currently unknown.
He appeared on 78 episodes ofDeadliest Catch, starting in 2013.
His sister confirmed the news on Twitter, writing, “My brother nick passed away. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to go through. Please hold your loved ones tight.”
Nick McGlashan.Discovery
According to his bio on Discovery Go, McGlashan was a seventh-generation fisherman, raised on the island of Akutan, Alaska, not far from Dutch Harbor — the base of operations onDeadliest Catch.
The deck boss first began crabbing when he was 13 years old, joining his family on his dad’s boat, theWestling,which they took out on the Bering Sea. McGlashan’s father, Bruce, and Wild Bill had been longtime friends, so McGlashan started working for him on the Kodiak in 2011. After quickly earning Bill’s respect, McGlashan was appointed to head the crew onCape Cautionand laterSummer Bay.
Unfortunately, McGlashan struggled with alcohol and drug addiction in the past, which got him suspended from season 13. He eventually went to rehab and had “battled endlessly to stay sober and embrace a new sober lifestyle and is now so committed to his recovery that he inspires others in their own,” his Discovery bio reads.
Blake Painter
In May 2018, formerDeadliest Catchcaptain Blake Painter wasfound dead in his homein Astoria, Oregon, the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE. He was 38.
The past captain of theF/V Maverickappeared on the series in 2006 and 2007. According toTMZ, he was discovered when a friend grew concerned and called the police after not having heard from him for several days.
Police tested several substances found at the scene of Painter’s death for narcotics. At the time, they did not suspect foul play.
Local newspaperThe Daily Astorianreported that Painter was arrested earlier that year when a police officer allegedly saw him smoking heroin while driving.
Discovery
Painter, an expert crab fisherman, spoke of his love-hate relationship with his career, including several of his related injuries, in an interview withSeattle Weeklyin 2013.
“I dread long-lining season, just because it’s so repetitive,” he said, before noting, “When fishing is good, you’re making money quick. It’s not uncommon to make $1,000 a day.”
Phil Harris
Phil Harris' death stunned fellow fishermen and fans in 2010 when the colorful captain and part owner of theCornelia Mariesuffered a massive stroke while off-loading crab in Alaska on Jan. 29. An engineer found Phil on the floor of his room, unable to move. Phil called for his son Josh, who called 911.
“The whole left side of his face was in paralysis, and that was hard,” Josh told PEOPLE at the time. “He couldn’t move his arms or anything, he was just paralyzed on the floor.”
Discovery Channel
“We had nine days total that we were there to enjoy a few moments with him,” said Josh. “We had our closest people there, and it was awesome.”
Justin Tennison
Justin Tennison, a deckhand onDeadliest Catch’sTime Bandit, wasfound deadin a Homer, Alaska, hotel room on Feb. 22, 2011 — four days after he returned from the sea. He was 33. Autopsy results reportedly revealed that his death was due to complications related to sleep apnea.
Courtesy Time Bandit
“It is with great sadness that theTime Banditfamily announces the death of crew member Justin Tennison,” the vessel’s crew posted on its website at the time. “Justin died peacefully in his sleep.”
Joe McMahon
In July 2015, Joe McMahon, a former producer on the show, wasshot and killednear his parents' home in Pasadena, California. He was 24.
Joe McMahon/Facebook
McMahon was an associate producer for the network in 2013 and worked on nine episodes ofDeadliest Catch. According toDeadline, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department later reported that the suspect was found dead in his car with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tony Lara
Tony Lara, formerDeadliest Catchcaptain,diedof a heart attack in his sleep in Sturgis, South Dakota, on Aug. 8, 2015.
Lara, who also had his own freight and salvage company, appeared in six episodes as the captain of theCornelia Marie.
“He was always a captain that was super easy to get along with,” Lara’s longtime friend and fellow captain Keith Colburn latertold PEOPLE. “Very professional and people enjoyed his company.”
“He was a really good guy all around, and he had wonderful character,” added Colburn. “If you ever needed help, he would be the first guy there to help you out.”
Dr. Keith Anderson
In January 2010, Keith Anderson, the father ofNorthwesterndeckhand Jake Anderson, went missing in Washington state. His truck was found abandoned in a rural area about two weeks later.
Deadliest Catchviewers watched Jake work through the heartache, including watching him return to the site where his father’s truck was found.
source: people.com
