‘Deadliest Catch’ Star Todd Meadows’ Family to File Lawsuit as Cause of Death Revealed

Todd Meadows‘ family is reportedly ready to file a lawsuit for wrongful death after the 25-year-old deckhand died at sea in a boating accident while filming for Deadliest Catch.

According to TMZ, which reviewed new legal documents filed by Meadows’ family, they have sought legal counsel in preparation for a suit, with the proposed defendants as yet unknown.

Meadows died by drowning on February 25 after working on the crew of Captain Rick Shelford’s Aleutian Lady on a fishing expedition and falling off the ship into the Bering Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed he was recovered around 10 minutes after falling, but was “unresponsive” and “attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful.”

His cause of death has been officially revealed in his death certificate as “drowning with probable hypothermia” and “submersion of body in cold water,’ TMZ also revealed.

In a statement announcing Meadows’ death, Shelford wrote, “February 25, 2026, was the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea. We lost our brother, Todd Meadows. Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”

The Discovery Channel, the network upon which Deadliest Catch airs, also shared a statement reacting to the news, which reads, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.”

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‘Deadliest Catch:’ Todd Meadows’ Death Recounted by Trey John Green III

Following Meadows’ death, fellow deckhand Trey John Green III revealed that the crew of the Aleutian Lady were taking turns in the near-freezing weather sorting through the crabs caught by the ship, and that he fell despite “doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing.”

Meadows’ mother, Angela Meadows, publicly pleaded with Discovery, in a statement provided to TMZ, not to air footage of her son’s death. “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 said. “We hope they only air good things of Todd on that boat.” Though the crew was in production for Deadliest Catch, it is unclear if footage was captured of the incident.

A GoFundMe fundraiser was announced in the wake of Meadows’ death and has raised over $58,500 as of this writing.