‘Deadliest Catch’ Star Nick Mavar Dies at 59

Nick Mavar, a deckhand on Discovery Channel’s fishing reality series “Deadliest Catch,” died on Thursday from natural causes at 59.

The Bristol Bay Borough Police Department in Alaska confirmed his death, stating he was found in a boat yard in Naknek, Alaska. His family has been informed.

Mavar appeared in 98 episodes of “Deadliest Catch,” from season one through season 17, working on the “Northwestern” fishing boat.

He also featured in several spin-offs of the series, such as “Deadliest Catch: Legends Born & Broken” and “Deadliest Catch: Evolution of Danger.”

In December 2020, Mavar left the show after suffering a ruptured appendix while filming, which revealed a cancerous tumor.

He sued the boat’s owner, Sig Hansen, for $1 million, alleging inadequate medical emergency planning during strict COVID-19 restrictions.

The lawsuit was later directed at the show’s production company, Original Productions Inc., as Hansen claimed they were responsible for the protocols that delayed Mavar’s care.

The defendants denied these claims, asserting that Mavar and other parties were responsible for the circumstances leading to his injuries and that they had not agreed to protect him from such incidents.

In a previous incident nine years earlier, Mavar was injured while filming “Deadliest Catch” during a severe storm. A loose hook struck him in the face, breaking his nose. This incident was also documented by the Discovery Channel.

After over 15 years on the reality TV show, Mavar spent his last days captaining his own salmon boat in Bristol Bay. Fans of “Deadliest Catch” have expressed their sorrow on social media. He is survived by his wife, Julie.