Four most gruesome Deadliest Catch injuries – hand shredded by grinder and crushed leg
Four most gruesome Deadliest Catch injuries – hand shredded by grinder and crushed leg
Deadliest Catch documents the dangerous mission of king crab fishing and with the natural elements working against the crewmates, injuries are not for the faint-hearted.
Fishing on the Bering Sea is never smooth sailing, and the countless injuries and even tragic deaths are evidence to prove the dangers. Deadliest Catch has documented the highs and lows of snow crab fishing and the following moments have been ingrained in our brains since hitting the Discovery Channel.
Gruesome Deadliest Catch injuries that made viewers squeamish
Cody Rhodes’ leg crushed by 1000lbs
The season 15 finale ended on a nasty note when deckhand Cody Rhoades was crushed by a 1000lb steel pot. The incident occurred when a large wave struck the Kari Marie, sweeping a crab pot across the check and onto Cody’s leg. Footage shows crewmates attempting to rescue him while the whipping winds worked against them.
The Coast Guard arrived for a medical evacuation, where Rhoades was lifted off the boat and into a helicopter.
Narration explains he “took the falling force of a 1000 lb steel crab pot to his left leg, twisting the flesh and bone, resulting in a gruesome spiral fracture of his fibula and tibia.” His leg was bent sideways and his foot was bent 90 degrees.
Hand shredded in bait grinder
Another season finale injury came in season 9 when deckhand Brandon Jaime had several of his fingers caught in a bait chopper – ouch! The crewmember endured the pain until a Coast Guard could arrive for rescue only after a wild storm.
Jaime was transported to a nearby hospital and revealed his bloody mangled hand, which he wrapped in a ziplock bag. The wounded hand still had sections of his glove on since he couldn’t take it off.
Doctors revealed that Brandon suffered several fractures and may lose his second and third fingers.
Finger ripped open by a coiler
Cornelia Marie Greenhorn Taylor Jensen had a painful procedure on board after his finger was ripped open by the coiler, which is machinery that reels in fishing lines.
Captain Casey McManus led the procedure, which saw him remove excess skin from Taylor’s hand. “That’s gonna dry out, and then it’s gonna hurt like hell to peel off,” the captain told him. Luckily, Taylor was a trooper and resumed work after getting bandaged.
Head smacked by 30lb steel hook
Taylor Jensen took another ghastly hit when a fellow deckhand accidentally smacked him in the head with a 30lb steel hook after removing it from a crab pot. He was struck on the top of his head, but Jensen continued working. It wasn’t until a few seconds later did he realize he was bleeding down his face from the gash.
Luckily, certified EMT McManus concluded that he showed no signs of concussion and continued working.
“That kid is phenomenal, a phenomenal worker. He’s a good guy,” praised Captain Josh Harris.
