Official records released on Monday, April 6, 2026, have confirmed the cause of death for Todd Meadows, a 25-year-old rookie deckhand appearing on the Discovery Channel series Deadliest Catch. The young fisherman died following a catastrophic deck accident during the filming of the show's 22nd season.
According to the official death certificate obtained by media outlets, Meadows died from drowning with probable hypothermia and submersion in cold water. The document lists the time of death as 5:15 p.m. on February 25, 2026, roughly 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
The incident occurred aboard the F/V Aleutian Lady while the crew was actively hauling and stacking crab pots. Fellow cast member Trey John Green III described the event as a freak accident that happened in a matter of seconds.
Witnesses report that Meadows was standing inside a 900-pound steel crab pot while it sat on the launcher. The heavy cage unexpectedly flipped over the rail and plunged into the freezing Bering Sea with Meadows still trapped inside.
Crew members immediately rushed to recover the pot, which was eventually brought back to the surface. Meadows was found unresponsive inside the cage approximately ten minutes after the initial plunge.
Despite immediate first aid and resuscitation attempts by the crew and a rescue swimmer, the 25-year-old was pronounced dead shortly after. The water temperature at the time was reported to be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Meadows’ mother, Angela Meadows, noted that her son had returned to the Bering Sea just weeks after recovering from a serious concussion sustained earlier in the season. She has publicly requested that Discovery Channel refrain from airing the footage of the fatal accident.
Captain Rick Shelford of the Aleutian Lady described the event as the most tragic day in the vessel's history. He praised Meadows as a hardworking individual who had quickly become a respected member of the fishing brotherhood.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s Arctic District continues to investigate the specific mechanics of the launcher failure. Discovery Channel released a statement expressing deep sadness and offering condolences to the Meadows family and the wider fishing community.
Meadows, originally from Montesano, Washington, is survived by his wife and three children. A memorial fund has been established to support his family as legal representatives consider potential wrongful death litigation regarding the safety of the vessel's equipment.