The cause of death for Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows has been confirmed as drowning with probable hypothermia, weeks after he fell overboard while filming the popular Discovery Channel series. His death certificate, obtained in April, listed the primary cause as “drowning with probable hypothermia” and “submersion of body in cold water.” Authorities have officially ruled his death an accident.
Todd was just 25 years old when he died on February 25 while working on the Aleutian Lady fishing boat, crabbing in Alaskan waters. He left behind his wife and three young children. Captain Rick Shelford, who has been on Deadliest Catch since 2023, called February 25, 2026, “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady.”
The United States Coast Guard Arctic District stated that Todd was found unresponsive about 10 minutes after he fell off the boat. Despite immediate first aid and attempts to resuscitate him, they were unsuccessful. According to The Independent, the crew then transported Todd to Dutch Harbor, and the Coast Guard confirmed they were investigating the incident to “uncover the cause and initiate necessary corrective actions.”
Todd’s mother’s plea to Discovery deserves to be respected
In the wake of her son’s death, Angela Meadows has made an urgent request to the Discovery Channel. “We don’t want to see any footage from the accident and do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son’s death,” she said. She has also asked for any existing footage from Todd’s time aboard the Aleutian Lady, wanting to keep those memories for herself and the family.
Angela said that if the network chooses to include Todd in the upcoming season, she hopes they will show him doing what he loved and focus only on the positive parts of his time on the boat. Speaking about her son’s character, she said, “It never mattered what anybody had to say about him, good or bad. He wasn’t out there to make friends. He wasn’t out there to click with people. He was just out there to work and to do what he loved.”
Captain Shelford also paid tribute to Todd on Facebook in March. “His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away,” he wrote. “His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”
He added, “Todd’s love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did. He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him.”
A Discovery Channel spokesperson called Todd’s death “a devastating loss” and said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. Our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.” The Aleutian Lady was reportedly the last vessel still filming for the upcoming 22nd season of the show, and filming wrapped shortly after Todd’s death.
Deadliest Catch first aired in 2005 and follows king crab fishermen working in the dangerous Bering Sea in Alaska. Crab fishing is consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and the show has seen several cast deaths over its more than 20 seasons. Todd Meadows is the latest.
Past losses include Captain Phil Harris, who died on February 9, 2010, after suffering a massive stroke, deckhand Justin Tennison, found dead in February 2011 from complications related to sleep apnea, and deck boss Nick McGlashan, who died from a drug overdose in December 2020.
There is also deckhand Mahlon Reyes, who died in July 2021, engineer Tom Brossard, who died from a heart attack in January 2024, and deckhand Nick Mavar, who died in June 2024 after suffering a heart attack while working in a boatyard.
Published: Apr 7, 2026 11:09 am