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Crewmate Details Fatal 'Deadliest Catch' Overboard as Coast Guard Investigates

An active Coast Guard investigation is examining whether gear performance or procedures played a role.

Overview

  • Deckhand Trey John Green III says Todd Meadows went overboard inside a 900‑pound pot about 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor and managed to escape the trap before swimming in near‑freezing water.
  • Green reports a designated rescue swimmer entered the water and that a crane‑attached harness failed, leading the crew to a life‑sling lift attempt during which Meadows slipped before being brought aboard lifeless minutes later.
  • Crew members performed CPR and used an onboard AED for roughly 30 to 45 minutes, then preserved Meadows’ body for the 12‑hour return to port when resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
  • Green says no one on deck, including Meadows, was wearing a lifejacket at the time, and he adds that Discovery Channel cameras recorded the incident during Season 22 filming.
  • Discovery says it is assisting the Coast Guard, which is compiling evidence and will issue findings after the probe; an official cause of death has not been released, and Meadows leaves three young sons as family and friends raise funds in his memory.