Since its premiere on the Discovery Channel in 2005,Deadliest Catchhas presented the harrowing stories of the boats and their crewswho make a living from crab fishing, one of the most dangerous professions in the world, out on Alaska’s Bering Sea. The show remains among Discovery’s longest-running and most successful shows, having been on the airfor nearly 20 years.
The cast ofDeadliest Catchhave found themselves in a number of dangerous, even life-threatening scenarios. We mean, it is calledDeadliest Catch, after all. As though the job itself wasn’t enough, the situation is made even more precarious by the fact that boats have few, if any, trained medical personnel onboard and the nearest doctor’s office or hospital can be hundreds of miles away, upping the stakes for even minor injuries.
Deadliest Catch
10Nick McGlashan Twists His Ankle
Season 15, Episode 8, “Tough Inheritance”
Hours before opilio crab season was set to begin,Summer Baydeck bossNick McGlashanhurt his ankle after slipping on an icy dock. Unable to stand, McGlashan was escorted from the dock as the pain spread to his knee, and he calledCaptain “Wild” BillWichrowski to tell him what happened, and Wild Bill was understandably frustrated and concerned, referring to McGlashan as his “heart and soul” on the water.
There’s no good time for an injury during crab season, but just before it’s about to start is particularly bad timing, as noted by an exasperated Wild Bill. Although McGlashan’s injury wasn’t as gruesome or as harrowing as other injuries throughout the series, he was clearly in a lot of pain, and his description of feeling “three big pops” suggested he’d suffered more than a simple sprain, but Bill noted that if it was possible to work through, McGlashan would manage it.
9Roger Schlosstein Hit by Crab Pot
Season 10, Episode 10, “Blonde Ambition”
DeckhandRoger Schlossteinendured back-to-back injuries aboard theWizard. First, while handling a rope attached to an 800-pound crab pot during a storm, the rope came loose, smashing his hand against the ship’s railing, causing numbness and bruising but no serious injury. As a result, he was reassigned to sorting crabs, and as he was unloading a pot, the hydraulic sorting table moved, pinning him between the pot and table.
Season 10 featured a number of injuries for theDeadliest Catchcast. While other crew members have had the misfortune of being injured multiple times on the show, none have had the particular bad luck of two back-to-back injuries, especially with the comparatively safe task of sorting crab. But like other injured crew members, Schlosstein kept his sense of humor and made light of the situation, joking that he got hit “right in the middle of my butt cheeks and right above the old dingus.”
8Maria Dosal Gets a Concussion
Season 16, Episode 11, “Chase Boat Rescue”
While on rough seasaboard theCornelia Marie, Greenhorn Maria went to get more bait from the freezer and hit her head on the ceiling, hard enough that she was briefly knocked out. Her fellow crew members helped her out of the freezer and down below deck. When she came to, she showed signs of a concussion, andCaptain Casey McManuspulled her away from her duties and ordered her to rest instead.
Although Maria’s head injury wasn’t among the more gruesome injuries on Deadliest Catch, it had the potential to be very serious. Head injuries can cause a lot of damage, and Maria’s temporary loss of consciousness was a terrifying moment, even though she insisted she was fine. Her desire to continue working was admirable, even to her fellow crew members, who were impressed by her resolve and praised her after the incident.
Season 5, Episode 1, “Everything on the Line”
When a line snapped onboard theWizard,Captain Keith Colburndecided to dive under the boat to find the cause and possibly repair it while in shallow water. As the water rocked the boat back and forth, the movement caused the nearly 500-ton boat to hit Colburn in the head. The crew quickly pulled him out and removed his diving equipment to assess the injury and found cuts on his head.
Colburn’s injury was a surprising one, while there are clear dangers to inspecting a ship in the water, one wouldn’t expect the boat to hit someone in the head, an injury which could do serious damage and should not be taken lightly. The knock did leave Colburn dazed for some time, but he was ultimately fortunate that the incident didn’t do worse damage and that he made a full recovery.
6Myles Johnson Hit by Crab Pot
Season 10, Episode 9, “Skipper Harris in Training”
Cape CautiongreenhornMyles Johnsonwas injured in Season 10 when he was hit by a crab pot while hauling it in, which knocked him to his feet and put a huge gash in his nose, while fortunately, his nose wasn’t broken, it was bleeding heavily. The boat was nearly 80 miles from the closest medical facility at the time, but deckhand and trained EMTZack Larsonwas able to treat Johnson’s injuries.
Of all the injuries crew members received on Deadliest Catch, many were caused by the massive crab pots. Although Johnson’s injury was bloody, and looked painful, it could’ve been much worse, as proven by other injuries on the show and as noted by EMT Larson. And while initially, Wild Bill made light of the situation by joking about Johnson’s appearance, Wichrowski’s concerns about a possible concussion led Johnson to be monitored overnight.
5Taylor Jensen Hit by Hook
Season 10, Episode 14, “Winter’s Curse”
Onboard theCornelia Marie, greenhornTaylor Jensenwas accidentally hit in the head with a 30-pound steel hook after a fellow deckhand removed it from a crab pot. After taking a few seconds to compose himself, Jensen returned to his job of sorting crab, then realized he was bleeding and stopped. It was just one of a few injuries Jensen sustained on the job, including another blow to the head from a crab pot.
Injuries can come from anywhere aboard the fishing boats, even fellow deckhands, as Jensen learned, and they’re also an expected part of the job which can go practically unnoticed unless they can’t be ignored. Jensen’s calm demeanor and desire to keep working in the aftermath of multiple injuries are proof of his dedication to the job and his resilient nature, crucial traits for crab fishing which have earned him praise from his captain.
4Cody Rhodes' Broken Leg
Season 15, Episode 21, “Now or Never”
As theKarie Mariewas out on the Bering Sea,Cody Rhodessuffered a broken leg when it was hit by a 1,000-pound crab pot after a large wave hit the ship, pushing the pot into Rhodes. The force turned his leg 90 degrees, causing breaks in multiple bones and requiring the assistance of the Coast Guard, which airlifted Rhodes off the boat. The rescue was complicated by high winds.
Although a broken leg may sound like a more routine and less serious injury, the nature of the break made Rhodes’ injury particularly gruesome. It was yet another example of how quickly the dangers of crab fishing can manifest and do serious damage. And like other injuries which required Coast Guard assistance, the episode provided some insight into how dangerous and harrowing the Guard’s jobs are, as well, and how the lift out is surely just as terrifying as the original injury.
3Mike Vandervelt Lost Fingertip
Season 8, Episode 16, “The Bitter, Bloody End”
Aboard theKodiak, deck bossMike Vanderveltlost the tip of his ring finger after he slipped on ice on deck and his hand got stuck between the launcher and a crab pot. He immediately cried out in pain and went below deck, where a fellow crew member provided first aid and attempted to stop the bleeding, as well as instructed Vandervelt to do his best to stay calm and keep his heart rate down.
Vandervelt’s injury was a scary example of how fast things can happen, even for veteran crew members, and although it was gruesome, it could’ve been much worse. Vandervelt’s pain in the aftermath of the injury was palpable, while the crew member treating him remained calm. The footage of the injury, particularly the aftermath as it was treated, can be difficult to watch, due to the graphic footage and Vandervelt’s level of pain.
2Brandon Jaime’s Fingers Crushed in Bait Chopper
Season 9, Episode 16, “The Final Battle”
In the Season 9 finale, as the opilio crab season came to an end, deckhandBrandon Jaimegot a few of his fingers caught in a bait chopper. The boat’s captain called for help from the Coast Guard, but their arrival was delayed by a storm, they were forced to wait for a break in the weather before they could remove Jaime from the ship. An X-ray revealed the extent of the injury, but a hand surgeon had to determine how much, if any, of the injured fingers could be saved.
Jaime’s injury was gruesome, and the footage of the injury and aftermath is difficult to watch. The situation was made even worse by the storm complicating the Coast Guard’s rescue, and it was almost as harrowing as the injury itself. With Jaime receiving care off the ship, the crew were left wondering about his condition, including the possibility that the injury would end his career, an unimaginable and stressful situation to be in.
1Francis Katungin’s Hip and Pelvis Injury
Season 18, Episode 2, “Crushed at Sea”
After a rogue wave hit thePatricia Leeand dislodged a crab pot, which could weigh up to one ton, then-29-year-old crew memberFrancis Katunginwas hit and pinned by the loose pot, causing injuries to his hip and pelvis. The boat was outside the Coast Guard’s 100-mile rescue zone at the time, forcing the captain to race to get within its limits quickly. FishermanTodd Kochutinhad been injured under similar circumstances a year prior, ultimately leading to his death.
The rogue wave was a terrifying incident made even more dangerous by the massive size of the crab pots, already dangerous enough on their own, on top of thePatricia Lee’s location outside the Coast Guard rescue zone. It’s no surprise the huge pots have caused multiple injuries during the show’s run, but Katungin’s was among the most serious, and Kochutin’s death due to a similar incident was a reminder of how much worse Katungin’s injuries could’ve been.
