Deadliest Catch Crew Details Desperate Rescue Effort Before Todd Meadows Died [WATCH]

Members of the crew aboard the Aleutian Lady fishing vessel say they attempted multiple rescue measures to save deckhand Todd Meadows after he fell into the frigid waters of the Bering Sea before his death on Feb. 25 at the age of 25, as reported by Page Six.

Deckhand Trey John Green III described the events in an interview with Page Six, explaining that the conditions on the Bering Sea that day were unusually calm despite the dangerous environment fishermen routinely face in the region.

According to Green, the sea was “flat” and “calm,” and the weather was “actually good.” The incident occurred during the late afternoon hours while the sun was still visible, allowing for clear visibility during the rescue effort.

Todd Meadows, who was filming for ‘Deadliest Catch,’ was believed to have fallen overboard, an incident that was caught on camera.
More details at the link below. ( : FACEBOOK) https://t.co/Ntx7OKfPeZ pic.twitter.com/wzl8tXKFvN

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Despite the calm conditions above the surface, the water temperature remained extremely dangerous. Green said the water was “only a degree or two above freezing,” while the outside air temperature was below freezing.

Green told the outlet that Meadows ended up in the water after an incident involving one of the crab pots aboard the 127-foot vessel. Crab pots are rigid traps baited to catch shellfish and are commonly used in commercial fishing operations across the Bering Sea.

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The exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that an investigation remains ongoing into the circumstances surrounding Meadows’ death.

Green said he immediately rushed to the stern of the vessel and climbed onto stacked pots to locate Meadows in the water.

“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 said.

Green kept his focus on Meadows in the water while Captain Rick Shelford maneuvered the vessel closer.

“Todd’s still alive, he’s still swimming, he’s still trying to hang in there,” Green recalled.

As the boat approached, crew member Steve Porter, who served as the vessel’s designated rescue swimmer, prepared to enter the water wearing a diving suit. Green said the rescue effort encountered complications when Porter jumped into the sea.

“When Steve jumped in the water, the harness that was attached to the crane actually broke,” Green said.

The crew then deployed a life sling attached to the vessel’s crane. Green said Meadows was able to work with Porter to get into the sling as they attempted to lift him out of the water.

According to Green, Meadows was “halfway up” and “almost back on the boat” before he slipped and fell back into the water.

“The second time we went to go lift him up, Todd was just — he was lifeless,” Green said.

“He didn’t have any more — like I 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 said Meadows had only been in the water for about “three or four minutes” before the crew managed to bring him back aboard the vessel.

By that time, however, he was already “turning blue,” and foam was coming from his mouth and nose.

Crew members immediately began CPR and continued efforts to revive him.

“We finally brought him inside and continued CPR. The boat has an AED [machine] … it’s basically a defibrillator. And we tried to use that, too, and it just — nothing was working,” Green said.

The crew attempted life-saving measures for an extended period before the captain ultimately ended the effort.

“And finally, finally, after a half hour, 45 minutes of trying to save him, Captain came down and said, ‘Guys, it’s not gonna work,’” Green recalled.

An official cause of death has not been released.

Meadows’ mother, Angela Meadows, told TMZ that her son suffered a concussion about a month before his death after taking a blow to the head while working aboard the Aleutian Lady.

He reportedly spent a week recovering at home in Washington before returning to work. It remains unclear whether that earlier injury played any role in his death.

Green said the vessel was approximately “12 hours away” from Dutch Harbor, Alaska, when the crew concluded the rescue efforts. The crew then wrapped Meadows’ body in a tarp and placed it in the vessel’s freezer before returning to port.

“When somebody’s life is on the line, it’s kind of, like, all the training and everything — you try to do the best you can. And everybody did do — I just want to reiterate that — everybody did everything they could do,” Green said.

Green also acknowledged that Meadows was not wearing a lifejacket at the time of the incident.

“On this boat, we don’t wear lifejackets. I don’t really know what the reason is,” Green said.

“I know it sounds silly because to somebody who’s not [in this field], it does seem kind of crazy. Like, ‘Why would somebody not wear a lifejacket?’ But it’s just, like, when you’re working 18, 20 hours a day, it’s just another piece of gear, and it’s just a hassle.”

Green said the incident served as an “eye-opener” for the crew.

“But this wasn’t a prolonged rescue, you know? This was, like, everybody did exactly what they needed to do. We got him on the boat as fast as we possibly could; it just wasn’t enough,” he said.

Deadliest Catch star Todd Meadows dead at 25 as Captain Rick Shelford says ‘our hearts are broken’ https://t.co/wTvQ06R3ml

— Beloud (@beloudcom) March 2, 2026

Green also said that multiple cameras likely recorded the rescue attempt. Discovery Channel crews were reportedly finishing production for Season 22 of the reality series “Deadliest Catch” at the time of the incident.

“Discovery has a deck cam that is like a stationary-mounted deck camera that’s recording 24/7,” Green said.

“So that camera in itself caught everything. Rick, the captain, he also has his own cameras that are for the boat. Those also captured everything. And then also, during the whole rescue mission, the producer and the camera guy were also on deck filming the entire rescue. So there’s multiple angles. I mean, they got everything.”

A spokesperson for Discovery Channel confirmed the network is cooperating with the investigation.

“This remains an active US Coast Guard investigation. We are assisting in their efforts and cannot comment at this time,” the representative said.

The U.S. Coast Guard also confirmed that investigators are continuing to gather evidence.

“The Coast Guard Investigating Officer is currently working with a team of qualified marine casualty investigators to compile evidence,” a spokesperson said.

The agency said investigators will review evidence to determine possible causes or contributing factors, potential misconduct or negligence, possible equipment failures, and whether any government personnel contributed to the incident.

Officials said findings will not be released while the case remains open and that the Coast Guard does not provide a timeline for completing investigations.

Captain Rick Shelford has not responded to requests for comment.

Meadows leaves behind three young sons. Family members and friends have shared tributes on social media following the news of his death.

In a Facebook post, Shelford said Meadows’ “love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away.”

Green said Meadows brought a level of enthusiasm to the job that stood out among the crew.

“He was more excited about doing this, like, almost to the point where he would have done it for free,” Green said. “He was just one of those guys that was ecstatic to be up there.”

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