For two decades, Discovery’s Deadliest Catch has provided a unique Look into the treacherous world of crab fishing on the Bering Sea, where crews face a multitude of dangers that can turn a simple case of fishing into a fight for survival. The occupation is marked by life-threatening injuries, equipment failures, and harrowing close calls, where even a split second can make the difference between life and death. As Sig Hansen so aptly put it, “the stakes are incredibly high, and one simple mistake can have devastating consequences.”
One of the most significant close calls on the show was when Sig’s daughter Mandy was in charge of the Northwestern. A loose trailer bag line snagged on a hook, and when Mandy wasn’t aware of the crew trying to get her attention to slow the ship down, the line snapped and shot towards the crew. Sig returned to the helm, using the incident as a teaching moment for Mandy, emphasizing the importance of communication and safety on the high seas. “A split second can make all the difference between life and death,” Sig stressed. “We have to be constantly aware of our surroundings and make sure everyone is on the same page.”
Deadliest Catch (Image via Getty)
Another close call involved Captain “Wild” Bill Wichrowski’s son, Zack Larson, who narrowly avoided being crushed by a loose crab pot on the Kodiak. The pot, weighing hundreds of pounds, had snapped under the weight of ice and was hurtling towards Zack, who was between it and the side of the boat. If the pot had had more momentum, it could have been fatal. Zack later recalled, “I was just trying to get out of the way as fast as I could. It was a split-second decision that could have gone either way.”
These close calls are a sobering reminder of the high stakes involved in crab fishing, and the importance of attention, communication, and quick thinking in the face of danger. Over the years, the crews of Deadliest Catch have faced countless close calls, and it’s a testament to their bravery and skill that most of these incidents have had relatively minor consequences. Despite the dangers, the crews continue to push themselves to the limits of endurance, driven by the thrill of the hunt and the promise of a lucrative catch. As Sig Hansen said, “It’s a high-stakes game, but it’s one that we love, and we’ll continue to play it as long as we can.”
