For 20 seasons and over 350 episodes and counting, Discovery reality series Deadliest Catch has followed the crews of crab-fishing vessels on the Bering Sea as they rush to meet their seasonal quotas. The series premiered in 2005 and continues to be one of the network’s longest running and most popular shows thanks to the high stakes the ships often face.
On top of potentially life-threatening injuries and incredibly stressful situations, the crews of Deadliest Catch have also had their fair share of close calls, from equipment risking injuries to the crew and damage to the ship to harrowing life-or-death situations determined by split-second action. No matter the situation, each moment is a reminder of the job’s high stakes and that sometimes, a split second can make a huge difference in outcomes.
10. Northwestern’s Loose Hook
Season 15, Episode 4, “Single Point of Failure”
With Sig Hansen’s daughter Mandy in charge and on her own aboard the Northwestern, a trailer bag line snagged on a hook, but the ship was moving too fast for them to fix it safely and Mandy wasn’t aware the crew was trying to get her attention to slow the ship down. The line then snapped and shot towards the crew. When Sig returned to the helm, he used it as a teaching moment for Mandy, explaining he didn’t want anyone to get hurt on her watch.
Loose hooks are just one of the many dangers onboard the ships of Deadliest Catch, and this incident is a great example of why a loose hook could very well lead to a severe injury or even death, just as similar incidents have in the past. The incident also demonstrated how crucial communication is on ships, a lesson Sig then aimed to drive home to prevent any similar accidents from happening again.
9. Loose Pot Nearly Hit a Deckhand on the Kodiak
Season 8, Episode 9, “Nowhere to Go But Down”
Aboard the Kodiak, a line on a crab pot snapped under the added weight of ice, causing the pot to come loose and nearly hit Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski’s son, Zack Larson, just as he was describing his position behind the pot as “the danger zone” and asked his fellow crew to be careful not to let the pot kill him. If the pot had more momentum, it could’ve crushed Zack as he stood between it and the side of the boat.
Crab pots are extremely dangerous due to their weight, even when empty, and getting hit by one could cause serious injuries. Zack was fortunate the pot just narrowly missed him, while Wild Bill himself commented on the guilt he would’ve felt if his own child had been injured working on his boat. But the incident wasn’t the only one involving a crab pot for Wild Bill, nor the only one on the show.
8. Sprained Ankle Aboard the Cornelia Marie
Season 17, Episode 14, “The Crush”
As the weather worsened while the Cornelia Marie attempted to outrun an ice pack, the crew continued to race to pull in crab pots. While they worked, the ship was pummeled by a wave full of 80,000 gallons of water, sending engineer Taylor Jensen across the ship and causing him to roll his ankle, resulting in a sprain. Jensen immediately headed below deck to get medical attention as waves continued to toss the ship.
Although the incident resulted in an injury and clearly left Jensen in pain, it could’ve been much, much worse. A sprained ankle is pretty minor considering the other possibilities, and Jensen himself was concerned that it was actually broken. It was also the most minor of the numerous painful injuries Jensen endured on the show, which also included his finger being ripped open, leading fans to conclude he was the unluckiest person on the show.
7. The Time Bandit Encountered Floating Debris
Season 17, Episode 19, “Wicked Game”
While the Time Bandit was out on open water, it encountered a large piece of floating debris, at first assumed to be a dead whale but later revealed to be part of a tree estimated to weigh 3,000 pounds. As the ship moved closer, the crew joked about what they thought it could be but also became concerned about the damage it could cause if it collided with the ship, or another one which wasn’t expecting to see it. Deckhand Freddy dove in to help pull it in.
The encounter proved there are a number of dangers out at sea, not including the sea itself. If the debris had struck the Time Bandit or another ship, it could’ve done serious damage, resulting in expensive repairs or even injuries, if the damage was severe enough. But it was also a nice lighthearted moment for the show, with the crew all showcasing their senses of humor as they approached the object.
6. Buoy Line Wrapped Around Deckhand’s Leg
Season 7, Episode 3, “Old Age & Treachery”
Aboard the Wizard, a buoy line wrapped around greenhorn Paul Edgren’s legs and nearly pulled him overboard, but he was saved by his fellow deckhands. Paul took responsibility for the incident and cited complacency as the cause, and he was determined to never repeat the mistake. Captain Keith Colburn viewed the incident as part of a string of bad luck. The ship was far behind on hitting their quota for the season.
Paul’s incident was a great example of how crucial it is to pay attention onboard fishing boats, especially to something as seemingly simple as where someone puts their feet and making sure they don’t pick them up. It also demonstrated how fast accidents can happen, but it was also a testament to how fast his fellow crew members could think and act. And while superstitions play some role for all boats and captains, the moment highlighted Keith’s personal beliefs.
5. The Wizard Was Almost Hit
Season 15, Episode 20, “Dead or Alive”
After offloading their crab, the Wizard was about to head out of the harbor just as a much larger ship—twice the size of the Wizard—was heading in. Although Captain Monte Colburn stopped the ship, strong winds kept it moving and made steering difficult, but he managed to keep the Wizard out of the ship’s path. Monte was visibly shaken when he saw how close they were, but took it in stride.
Of all the close calls on Deadliest Catch, this was one of the most intense, it was one of the many instances in which the weather had a significant impact on the boats and a captain proved his skill. If the Wizard had collided with the larger ship, the results could’ve been catastrophic, and as the larger ship went by, Monte got a scary glimpse of just how close a call it really was.
4. Cornelia Marie’s Broken Crane
Season 15, Episode 13, “Crane Wreck”
In the middle of a storm, the Cornelia Marie’s crane malfunctioned, with an 800-pound crab pot still attached to it, the crane whipped around the deck, repeatedly hitting the sides of the wheelhouse. After some time and effort, the crew was able to get a line on the pot and bring it under control. But the pot was still not fully under control, and as it continued to swing, it hit Jensen in the head.
The heavy crab pots presented enough danger on their own, the rogue crane merely made things worse, and although the crew was lucky it didn’t damage the ship or its equipment, the same couldn’t be said for Jensen. His head injury was exactly the sort of thing they were trying to prevent. Still, it could’ve been much worse, and Jensen was lucky it wasn’t. But it was neither the first nor last close call for him.
3. Back-to-Back Close Calls on the Aleutian Lady
Season 20, Episode 5, “Twice Bitten, Twice Shy”
On the Aleutian Lady, deckhand Nico had a close call with a wave knocking him down, and he feared another similar situation if he returned to deck, but he overcame his fears and got back to work in the final days of the fishing season. A mere 18 hours later, Nico was in harm’s way a second time when the crab table was off its tracks and hurtled towards him, leading Nico to storm below deck in a rage.
Nico’s fears were understandable, and unfortunately, they were proven to be justified. One close call in a day would be bad enough, but a second was surely terrifying. While he was able to keep his sense of humor about the first incident with the wave, the second with the table proved to be too much. Nico’s outburst was understandable.
2. The Summer Bay Almost Capsized
Season 17, Episode 22, “The Ultimate Price”
As the Summer Bay was ready to dock to offload crab and end the season, it encountered rough wind and waves, which began to engulf the deck, leading Wild Bill to order everyone below and decide to turn around. As the waves became even more dangerous, the ship overturned and nearly capsized. Although everyone was unharmed, the ship was left a mess, with supplies scattered everywhere below deck and debris above.
Danger isn’t just out on the open ocean, even when docking, even when their season is nearly over, the ships can find themselves in precarious situations, just as the Summer Bay did. Nearly every moment was intense, from waves crashing on deck as the crew was tossed around below to the very moment the ship overturned. The fact that Wild Bill had to ask if everyone was onboard spoke to how dangerous the situation was.
1. The Time Bandit Rescued a Deckhand
Season 3, Episode 4, “Cheating Death”
The Time Bandit encountered another fishing vessel while at sea, and the crew watched in shock as a deckhand fastened pots to the side of the ship in the midst of tumultuous seas. Captain Jonathan Hillstrand watched as the deckhand disappeared under the water and immediately sounded an alarm for help. His crew sprang into action to pull the man onboard and succeeded, saving his life. Although the man was overwhelmed and in shock, he was uninjured.
Deadliest Catch often makes it clear just how dangerous crab fishing is even in the best of circumstances, and this intense moment was a perfect example of what can go wrong, and how quickly it can happen. It was impressive to watch how fast the Time Bandit’s crew reacted, and it was easy to imagine how much worse the situation could’ve been and the numerous things that could’ve happened to the deckhand, including death.
