New details have emerged about the final moments of Deadliest Catch deckhand Todd Meadows, who died after falling overboard while filming the series.
Crew member Trey John Green III, who was aboard the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady during the incident, described the rescue attempt in an interview with Page Six published March 5. According to Green, the water temperature at the time was just above freezing when Meadows went into the sea on February 25.
Green recalled spotting Meadows in the water shortly after the accident.
“I see Todd. He’s floating, he’s swimming,” Green said, noting that Captain Rick Shelford quickly turned the boat around to reach him.
As the crew approached, Meadows was still conscious and trying to stay afloat, Green said.
A rescue effort began immediately. Crew member Steve Porter, who was already suited in diving gear as the vessel’s designated rescue swimmer, jumped into the water in an attempt to reach Meadows.
However, the rescue became more complicated when the harness attached to the crane reportedly broke during the attempt. The crew then switched to using a life sling to pull Meadows back toward the vessel.
Green said Meadows was being lifted toward the boat when he slipped and fell back into the water.
After that moment, Green said Meadows appeared to lose consciousness.
“He was halfway up when he fell back into the water,” Green said, adding that Meadows became “lifeless” during the rescue effort.
The crew managed to pull Meadows aboard after what Green estimated was only three or four minutes in the water. By that time, however, he said Meadows had already begun turning blue and had foam coming from his mouth and nose.
Crew members immediately began CPR and continued trying to revive him.
Green said the team spent roughly 30 to 45 minutes attempting life-saving measures before the captain informed them the efforts were not successful.
The official cause of death has not yet been confirmed, and the U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its investigation into the incident.
Green emphasized that everyone on board did everything they could to save their crewmate.
“When somebody’s life is on the line, you try to do the best you can,” he said. “Everybody did everything they could.”
He also noted that Meadows was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the accident.
Meadows was a rookie deckhand and was filming his first season of Deadliest Catch when the incident occurred roughly 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
The tragedy happened while Discovery Channel cameras were reportedly filming. Meadows’ mother, Angela Meadows, has since asked the network not to air any footage related to the accident.
“We don’t want to see any footage from the accident and do not want Discovery to air any of that footage or make money off of our son’s death,” she told TMZ.
