Todd Meadows’ death has deeply affected his fellow crew members, who tried everything they could to save him. CBS News confirmed that Meadows, a deckhand featured on “Deadliest Catch,” died on Feb. 25. U.S. Coast Guard Arctic’s post also confirmed Todd’s tragic death. He was 25.
In a new interview with Page Six, Crew members aboard the Aleutian Lady say they did everything they could to save Todd Meadows after the young deckhand fell into the freezing waters of the Bering Sea.
Freezing Bering Sea Waters Surround ‘Deadliest Catch’ Rescue Attempt
Crew member Trey John Green III later opened up about the tense moments that followed the accident aboard the vessel. Speaking with Page Six, Green described the sea conditions that afternoon.
He added that even though the sea was ‘unusually calm’, the water itself ‘remained dangerously cold’.
Warner Bros. DiscoveryGreen said the Bering Sea appeared unusually still that day. He recalled the water being “flat” and “calm,” noting that the weather was “actually good.”
The accident happened later in the afternoon, with the sun still out, which gave the crew clear visibility as the situation unfolded.
Despite the peaceful conditions on the surface, the environment remained extremely dangerous. Green said the water temperature was “only a degree or two above freezing,” while the air outside was “below freezing.”
Green said Meadows entered the water during an incident involving one of the heavy fishing pots used to harvest shellfish.
Fox News reported that the U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the case, and officials have not yet determined the exact chain of events that led to the accident.
Crew Member Recalls Seeing Todd Meadows Fighting to Stay Afloat: Todd’s Final Moments
Warner Bros. DiscoveryGreen said he immediately ran toward the stern of the boat and climbed onto the stacked fishing pots, scanning the water for Meadows.
“I see Todd. He’s floating, he’s swimming. He’s got huge baby blue eyes. And I can still, probably from like 100 yards away, I could still see his eyes looking around,” Green told Page Six.
Keeping his focus on Meadows, Green watched as Captain Rick Shelford quickly turned the vessel around in an effort to reach him.
Warner Bros. Discovery“Todd’s still alive, he’s still swimming, he’s still trying to hang in there. We get next to him, and then Steve [Porter] — every boat has a designated rescue swimmer for this exact kind of scenario. Steve was already geared up and already in the diving suit,” Green said.
He added that when Porter jumped into the water, “the harness that was attached to the crane actually broke.”
After the equipment failed, the crew moved quickly to a backup plan, using a life sling connected to the vessel’s crane.
Green said Meadows was able to cooperate with Porter and partially secure himself in the sling as the crew began lifting him back toward the deck. He was nearly back on board when tragedy struck.
Rescue Effort Took a Devastating Turn as Todd Meadows Fell Back Into the Water
According to his account, the crew had lifted Meadows about halfway out of the water, and he was “almost back on the boat” when he suddenly slipped out of the sling and plunged back into the freezing sea.
“The second time we went to go lift him up, Todd was just — he was lifeless,” Green said. “The first time, he was fighting, trying to get onto the sling. And then the second time, he was just — he was lifeless.”
Green estimated that Meadows had been in the water for only three or four minutes before the crew managed to pull him aboard.
But in that short span of time, his condition had worsened dramatically. By the time he was back on deck, Green said Meadows was already “turning blue,” and foam had begun coming from his mouth and nose.
The crew immediately started CPR, doing everything they could to revive him.
“We finally brought him inside and continued CPR. The boat has an AED — it’s basically a defibrillator — and we tried using that too, but nothing was working,” Green told Page Six.
Warner Bros. Discovery“After about half an hour, maybe 45 minutes of trying to save him, the captain came down and said, ‘Guys, it’s not gonna work.’”
Green also revealed that Discovery Channel cameras were rolling when the tragedy unfolded, capturing the harrowing moments during filming for Season 22 of “Deadliest Catch.”
But beyond the cameras and the dangerous work at sea, Meadows’ loss has left a far deeper void.
He is survived by his three young sons and a circle of family and friends now grappling with an unimaginable loss.
In the days since his passing, loved ones have shared heartfelt tributes online, remembering Meadows as a devoted father, loyal friend, and hardworking fisherman whose life revolved around providing for the people he loved.
