Sea Tragedies On “Deadliest Catch”

Summary

The video script recounts the tragic incidents and personal lives of the cast of 'Deadliest Catch,' a reality show depicting the perils of crab fishing in the Bering Sea. It details shipwrecks, including the Big Valley, Ocean's Challenger, Alaska Ranger, Catmay, and Destination, and the deaths of crew members. It also touches on the health struggles of Captain Sig Hansen and the loss of Captain Phil Harris. The script highlights the harsh reality of the profession and the show's impact on viewers.

Takeaways

• 📺 'Deadliest Catch' is a reality TV series that not only highlights the dangerous nature of crab fishing in the Bering Sea but also the personal lives of its cast members.
• 🛳️ The show has documented numerous tragic events, including the sinking of several crab fishing vessels and the loss of life at sea.
• 🌊 The 'Big Valley' was one of the earliest tragedies featured, with only one survivor out of six crew members after it sank in 2005, likely due to being overloaded.
• 😢 The 'Ocean's Challenger' capsized in 2006 with only one survivor, highlighting the unpredictability of the sea and the importance of survival suits.
• 🚢 The 'Alaska Ranger' sinking in 2008 resulted in five deaths, and the investigation pointed to a lost rudder and subsequent flooding as the cause.
• 😔 The 'Catmay' disaster in 2008 saw only four survivors out of 11 crew members, with the ship's captain testifying to ongoing issues with the vessel's pumps.
• 💔 Captain Phil Harris of the 'Corneille Marie' passed away in 2010 after suffering from health problems during the crab fishing season, deeply affecting the show's fans.
• 🎆 An incident involving the 'Time Bandit' in 2013 resulted in a crew member losing his hand due to a fireworks accident, leading to a lawsuit against the Hillstrand brothers.
• 🚑 Captain Sig Hansen of the 'Northwestern' experienced two heart attacks, one in 2016 and another in 2018, which were both life-threatening and affected his presence on the show.
• 🌪️ The 'Destination' tragedy in 2017 was the largest shipwreck in Alaskan waters in over a decade, with all six crew members losing their lives due to the vessel sinking too quickly.
• ❄️ The 'Skandi Rose' capsized in 2020, resulting in the death of three people, including former 'Deadliest Catch' cast member Dean Gribble Jr., underlining the harsh reality of the fishing profession.

Q & A

What happened to the Big Valley, and how many crew members survived its sinking?

The Big Valley sank on January 15, 2005, and out of the six crew members on board, only one survived. Three bodies were found, and two, including Captain Grey Edwards, were never found.

What was the suspected cause of the Big Valley's sinking?

The Big Valley was thought to be carrying three times its weight capacity, which could have contributed to its demise.

Which crew member survived the sinking of the Ocean's Challenger, and what helped him survive?

Fisherman Kevin Farrell was the only survivor of the Ocean's Challenger sinking, and he survived thanks to wearing a survival suit.

What was the tragic outcome of the Alaska Ranger's sinking on March 23, 2008?

The sinking of the Alaska Ranger resulted in 42 survivors and four dead bodies being recovered, with one person lost at sea.

What was the initial mistake made by the Coast Guard during the search for the Alaska Ranger's crew?

The Coast Guard initially received the wrong number of crew members to find, which led them to stop the search at 46 people and only resume the operation the following day when they were informed that another person was missing.

What was the cause of the CatMay's sinking, and how many crew members survived?

The CatMay sank due to flooding caused by problems with its pumps. Out of the 11 crew members aboard, only four survived.

What was the saddest event that happened to a cast member of Deadliest Catch?

The saddest event was the death of Cornelia Marie's captain and owner, Phil Harris, who passed away on February 9, 2010, after suffering a heart attack.

What happened to the Time Bandit's crew member, David Zielinski, during the fireworks incident?

David Zielinski lost his hand when a firework exploded in his hand. He later filed a lawsuit against the Hillstrands brothers and was granted monetary compensation.

What health issues did Captain Sig Hansen face during the show?

Captain Sig Hansen suffered two heart attacks, one in 2016 and another in 2018, which led to his recovery and absence from the show for a season.

What was the cause of the Destination's sinking, and what was the fate of its crew?

The Destination sank in the Bering Sea near St. George Island on February 11, 2017. The incident happened too quickly, and all six crew members died.

What was the cause of the Scandies Rose's sinking, and how many crew members survived?

The Scandies Rose capsized due to severe rough-winded sea conditions. Three people died, and only two crew members, Captain Dean Gribble Jr. and fisherman John Lawler, survived.

Outlines

00:00

🚢 Tragic Tales of the Bering Sea: Deadliest Catch

The paragraph delves into the perilous world of crab fishing in the Bering Sea, as depicted in the reality TV series 'Deadliest Catch.' It emphasizes the authenticity of the show's portrayal of the profession's dangers and the personal lives of its cast members. The paragraph recounts several tragic incidents involving sunken ships and crew fatalities, including the sinking of the 'Big Valley,' which resulted in only one survivor out of six crew members. It also mentions the 'Ocean's Challenger' and 'Alaska Ranger' disasters, where only one and four crew members survived, respectively. The paragraph sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the show's tragic events and their impact on the cast and viewers.

05:00

🌪️ Stormy Seas and Sunken Dreams: More Tragedies

This paragraph continues the somber narrative of maritime tragedies within the 'Deadliest Catch' series. It details the sinking of the 'Cat May,' which saw only four out of eleven crew members survive due to persistent pump issues that led to flooding. The paragraph also poignantly recounts the death of Phil Harris, captain and owner of the 'Corneille Marie,' who passed away due to health complications. The narrative shifts to the 'Time Bandit' incident, where a crew member lost his hand in a fireworks accident, leading to a lawsuit against the ship's owners. The paragraph concludes with an account of Sig Hansen's heart attacks and his subsequent recovery, highlighting the personal struggles of the show's cast members amidst the harsh realities of their profession.

10:01

🕊️ Honoring the Lost: Remembering the Destination and Scandies Rose

The final paragraph honors the memory of those lost at sea, focusing on the tragic sinking of the 'Destination,' which resulted in the death of all six crew members. It also touches upon the 'Scandies Rose' disaster, which claimed three lives and involved former 'Deadliest Catch' cast member Dean Gribble Jr. The paragraph underscores the harsh realities of the fishing industry, the bravery of those who partake in it, and the profound impact these tragedies have had on the community. It concludes with a call to remember the fallen and a reflection on the show's commitment to shedding light on the true nature of the profession.

Keywords

💡Debris

Debris refers to the scattered remains of something that has been destroyed or damaged. In the context of the video, it is indicative of a shipwreck, specifically mentioning the crab boat going down. The script describes how debris was found without any life rafts or survival suits, emphasizing the severity of the maritime disaster.

💡Deadliest Catch

Deadliest Catch is a reality television series that showcases the dangerous profession of crab fishing on the Bering Sea. The video discusses the show's portrayal of not only the hazardous working conditions but also the personal lives of the cast. It mentions several tragic incidents that have occurred, highlighting the show's authenticity in depicting the harsh realities of the profession.

💡Sinking

Sinking refers to the act of a ship or boat going down in the water, often due to damage or being overloaded. The script recounts multiple instances of sinking ships, such as the Big Valley, Ocean's Challenger, and the Destination, which are central to the tragic narratives presented in the video.

💡Survival Suit

A survival suit is a type of protective and thermally insulated garment designed to keep a person afloat and alive in cold water for an extended period. The video mentions the absence of survival suits in the aftermath of certain shipwrecks, underscoring the lack of preparation or resources that can contribute to the severity of maritime accidents.

💡Cast Members

Cast members are the individuals who regularly appear in a television show or film. In the context of Deadliest Catch, the video discusses the personal affairs and tragic fates of several cast members, such as the death of Phil Harris and the involvement of other cast members in search and rescue operations.

💡Tragedies

Tragedies are events resulting in great loss and misfortune. The video's theme revolves around the various maritime tragedies depicted in Deadliest Catch, illustrating the high-risk nature of crab fishing and the emotional impact these events have on the cast and viewers.

💡Shipwreck

A shipwreck is the remains of a ship that has wrecked, typically on a shore or at the bottom of the sea. The script provides several examples of shipwrecks, such as the Big Valley and the Alaska Ranger, which are central to the video's exploration of the perils faced by crab fishermen.

💡Rescue Efforts

Rescue efforts refer to the organized attempts to save people in distress, often involving search and rescue teams. The video describes the rescue operations following the sinking of various ships, highlighting the challenges and the urgency of these missions, as well as the outcomes, which were often tragic.

💡Overloaded

Overloaded means having a load that exceeds the safe or normal capacity. The script suggests that some of the shipwrecks, such as the Destination, may have been caused by overloading, which is a common issue in maritime safety and contributes to the severity of the accidents.

💡Coast Guard

The Coast Guard is a maritime search and rescue service that also enforces maritime law. In the video, the Coast Guard is mentioned in the context of responding to emergency beacons and conducting search and rescue operations following the sinking of ships like the Big Valley.

💡Reality of Fishing Occupation

The reality of the fishing occupation encompasses the physical, emotional, and economic challenges faced by those who work in the industry. The video uses the tragedies depicted in Deadliest Catch to provide a deeper insight into the harsh and often dangerous conditions that crab fishermen face, emphasizing the authenticity of the show's portrayal.

Highlights

Debris found from a crab boat sinking with no life rafts or survival suits.

Reality shows like 'Deadliest Catch' often dramatize situations but the series also covers real-life tragedies.

The series has aired for 17 seasons, showcasing the dangerous profession of crab fishing on the Bering Sea.

The 'Big Valley' sinking was one of the earliest and saddest events in 'Deadliest Catch' history.

Only one crew member survived the 'Big Valley' sinking out of six, with three bodies never found.

The 'Ocean's Challenger' capsized in 2006 with only one survivor due to wearing a survival suit.

The 'Alaska Ranger' capsizing resulted in the death of five people and was caused by the loss of the rudder.

The Coast Guard initially stopped the search for the 'Alaska Ranger' based on the wrong number of crew members.

The 'Catmay' fishing vessel sank due to storm and pump problems, with only four out of 11 crew surviving.

Captain Phil Harris of 'Corneille Marie' passed away due to health complications during the 2010 crab fishing season.

The 'Time Bandit' incident resulted in the loss of a crew member's hand due to a fireworks accident.

Captain Sig Hansen suffered a heart attack during the show, highlighting the health risks of the profession.

The 'Destination' sinking in 2017 resulted in the tragic loss of all six crew members.

The 'Skandi Rose' capsized in 2020, involving former cast member Dean Gribble Jr. and resulted in three deaths.

The 'Deadliest Catch' provides insight into the harsh realities and tragedies of the fishing industry.

Transcripts

they found debris indicative of a crab

boat going down

no life rash no survival suits no

nothing

and yes it's that destination

many reality shows are known for making

situations more dramatic than they

really are but this is not the case with

deadliest catch

the series showcases more than just the

dangerousness of the crab fishing

profession on the bering sea but is also

known for the scandalous lives and

private affairs of its cast

however while those aspects can be

unfortunate that's nothing compared to

the sad and crude tragedies that have

happened on the sea and which viewers of

the show have seen throughout the 17

seasons the show has aired

what happened to the sunken ships we

have seen in the show

have any cast members died on board

just sit back and pay attention because

from now on you'll get to know all the

insights into the saddest tragedies on

the sea of deadliest catch

while we will mostly showcase incidents

that have been included in the show we

will also include some unfortunate

happenings involving former cast members

or ships which have been part of

deadly's cast in the past

although the big valley wasn't directly

part of the show its sinking remains one

of the earliest and saddest events to be

showcased in deadliest catch letting the

audience see the u.s coast guard and

crew members of the ship's maverick

corneli marie and sea rover as they

search for the sunken crabber survivors

on a side note big valley appeared in

the pilot episode of deadliest catch

making the situation even sadder for

those cast members who got to meet its

crew

what happened to it

the unfortunate event goes back to the

morning of the 15th of january 2005 when

exactly at 8 am the big valley's captain

grey edwards set off the ship's

emergency radio beacon

right then the ship is located 70 miles

away from saint paul island alaska

despite the fact that the crew could

mark the location the situation

unfortunately got out of hand just too

quickly

the search efforts lasted for several

days but of the six crew members on

board only one survived

two dead bodies were covered and three

were never found including edwards

following the declarations of the only

survivor cash seal he was asleep at the

time he felt the ship was rolling over

in the middle of his confusion he heard

his fellow crew members voices but the

situation was so hasty that his only

instinct was to read the life raft

according to the local authorities at

the time of its thinking the big valley

was carrying three times its weight

capacity which could have been the cause

of the ship's demise

one year after the shipwreck of the big

valley another tragedy hit deadliest

catch with the sinking of the commercial

ship ocean's challenger

the unfortunate event took place in

october 2006 when the boat capsized

while fishing 90 miles away from sand

point

while the true cause of the accident is

still unknown even after so many years

the weather apparently played a big part

in the boat's unfortunate fate

out of four crew members only the

fisherman kevin farrell survived thanks

to the fact that he was wearing a

survival suit

it was also reported that prior to the

ship's capsize the crew was able to

launch a life raft but were unable to

reach it due to the rough sea conditions

despite the fact that the ocean

challenger wasn't part of deadliest

catch

some of the cast members can be seen

taking part in the search for and

recovery of the bodies in the third

season's episode the unforgiving sea

the tragedy surrounding the now sunk

ship alaska ranger is one of those

stories that make people wish things had

been handled differently

the ranger had been operative for over

30 years at the time of his capsizing

and was owned by a famous fish factory

however no matter the apparent expertise

of its crew it didn't prevent the boat

from going through a fate which resulted

in the death of five people on the 23rd

of march 2008

the sinking's cause was thoroughly

investigated by authorities and while

many theories were considered official

reports point to the loss of the rudder

and the subsequent flooding of its room

as the accident's origin

however if there's something that still

raises eyebrows about this case is it's

the fact that the coast guard has

initially received the wrong number of

crew members to find which led them to

stop the search at 46 people and only

resume the operation the following day

when they were informed that another

person was missing

the shipwreck resulted in 42 survivors

and four dead bodies being recovered

the one person lost at sea was the same

one that the coast guard had to resume

the rescue efforts for but it's obvious

that it was too late for that crew

member at that point

if you're interested in knowing more

about this sad accident deadliest catch

aired a short special episode about the

case for the fourth season's finale

episode entitled the last hour

at this point you might have already

noticed that shipwrecks are not a rare

occurrence to be showcased in the show

the story of the fishing vessel catmay

is similar to the previous ones having

sunk on the 21st of october 2008 120

miles from the west side of attack

island at the time it was supposed that

the shipwreck was caused by a storm

moving through the amchit capac but as

was later determined in an investigation

the vessel was actually presenting many

problems even before that

of the 11 crew members aboard the cat

may only four survive one of them with

the ship's captain henry blake iii who

affirmed at the board of investigation

of the coast marine that the ship was

presenting problems related to its pumps

since the start of the fishing season

although he had hoped that the crew

could go on without major inconvenience

it ultimately resulted with the flooding

of the vessel

the moment in which the situation turned

for the worse he ordered his crew to put

on their security suits

blake and part of the crew held onto a

life draft for 17 hours until the rescue

but it was already too late for seven of

them you can see the cat may's

heartbreaking demise in the first two

episodes of deadliest catches fifth

season

the death of corneille marie's captain

and owner phil harris is probably the

saddest event that has happened in the

show

not only was he a long-time cast member

but he was also a definite fan favorite

the story of phil is inspiring to say

the least

he was actually introduced to fishing by

his father in his childhood resulting in

him becoming a captain at only 21 years

of age something very unusual in the

bering sea's fishing business

though besides his impressive career his

personal life was turbulent

after two divorces it seems that phil's

romantic life wasn't very steady and so

it was with his relationship with his

younger son jake with whom he had a

strong argument regarding the young

man's addiction habits weeks before his

health took a turn for the worse

so if you don't remember what happened

to him it will be good to refresh your

memory

phil started the 2010's crab fishing

season with several health problems

including back disc injuries and chronic

pain something which he endured for

weeks until the 29th of january when he

was found on his room's floor unable to

move

phil was transported from the cornelia

marie to anchorage hospital and while in

the following weeks his condition seemed

to be improving he died on the 9th of

february 2010

if you want to remember him you can

watch the episode in his honor entitled

valhalla part of the sixth season of

deadliest catch

however phil harris was a strong man

whose legacy went beyond tv and he will

be remembered by his family crew and

fans of the series

although this accident didn't involve a

shipwreck or someone's death it ended up

with some severe negative consequences

to wrap up the story in january 2013 the

hillstrands brothers fishing vessel the

time bandit was transporting a load of

fireworks of the family's brand

the fisherman david zielinski was

apparently ordered to launch a device in

celebration of a sports team's victory

but the situation got out of hand when

one exploded in his hand destroying his

skin and bones

fortunately zielinski didn't lose his

life in such a terrible event but did

end up losing his hand

he subsequently filed a lawsuit asking

for monetary compensation from the hill

strands brothers which was ultimately

granted in his favor in july 2019

sig hansen is not only one of the most

well-known captains in deadly's catch

but he's also a very polemic one

however while we're not going to get

into the details of his personal life or

the legal issues that he has had for

years it's important to point out that

his life is very complicated on the sea

as well especially when it comes to his

health

in 2016 the show's audience got to see

the dramatic moment in which sig

suffered severe chest pain and

subsequently fell unconscious

while at the time it was seemingly

obvious for the viewers that he was

suffering a heart attack sig only

learned the true nature of the incident

after the northwestern reached dutch

harbor and he was taken to see a health

specialist in anchorage

the incident was followed by a long

recovery that kept him away from the

screen for an entire season

later in october 2018 sig suffered a

second heart attack which was apparently

related to an allergy caused by the use

of medications

though this incident wasn't directly

shown on screen sig mentioned it in a

15th season episode

sig hansen's health has fortunately been

stable these past years but he surely

frightened deadly's catch fans more than

a few times

even if the ship and its crew weren't

part of the show cast the sinking of the

fishing vessel the destination is

definitely one of the saddest tragedies

showcased in deadliest catch

the destination went missing while

roaming the waters of the bering sea

near st george island on the 11th of

february 2017.

following reports from the time the

incident occurred just too quickly and

it left the six member crew with little

to no time to react or launch a raft to

save their lives ultimately resulting

with the unfortunate deaths of all of

them

as several journalists reported at the

time the destination marked the biggest

shipwreck tragedy to occur in alaskan

waters in over a decade

in honor of the destination's crew and

their families deadliest catch aired a

brief segment in the 13th season finale

episode in which it was very clear how

saddened by the tragedy some of the

show's cast members were it turns out

the sunk ship's late captain jeff

hathaway was their personal friend or

even a hero in jake anderson's case who

expressed how important the man was for

him during an interview with pop culture

in 2018

he was the first person to ever offer me

a real job as a captain

sadly enough everything points to the

destination being overloaded well beyond

its capacity though the crew wasn't to

blame as they apparently weren't

informed of the true limitations of the

vessel

the sinking of the skandies rose in 2020

wasn't showcased in deadly's catch but

involved a former cast member dean

gribble jr who appeared in the 13th

season in the show

the scandi's rose capsized on new year's

eve 2020 while it navigated the waters

near kodiak island resulting in the

death of three people

only two crews survived the tragedy the

ship's captain gribble and fisherman

john lawler

while it's known that the shipwreck was

caused by severe rough-winded sea

conditions

google affirms it just happened too fast

from sleeping to swimming was about 10

minutes he told abc news clearly

indicating the boat sinking had taken

everyone by surprise

the sinking of scandi's rose and all of

the other tragedies we have mentioned

surely affected families and friends of

those who died

however it also shows the crudeness and

reality of the fishing occupation

putting a deeper insight into what

deadliest catch is truly about

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