R.I.P. Nick Mavar: ‘Deadliest Catch’ Alum Dead At 59

Deadliest Catch alum Nick Mavar passed away on Thursday (June 13), as reported by TMZ. He was 59.

The Police Chief of Bristol Bay Borough Police Department informed TMZ that Mavar had a medical emergency that led to his passing, but did not provide further details.

Chief Jeffrey Eldie shared with Deadline that the medical emergency occurred at a boatyard in Naknek, Alaska, and Mavar was pronounced dead from natural causes after being taken to the hospital.

Mavar was a deckhand on the F/V Northwestern and appeared in 98 episodes of the reality series from 2005 to 2021. In December 2020, he suffered a ruptured appendix during a voyage, which was featured in episodes that aired in 2021.

Following this incident, Mavar filed a lawsuit against the fishing vessel’s owners, claiming negligence in providing proper medical assistance amid COVID-19 protocols. He alleged that the delay in medical care caused the rupture and led to the discovery of a cancerous tumor, seeking $1 million in damages.

Another lawsuit was filed against the show’s producers in 2023 by the owners of the Northwestern, citing COVID protocols that limited crew exposure to non-show personnel, as reported by Alaska Public Media.

Mavar also appeared in spin-offs of the series such as Deadliest Catch: Siberian Winter and Deadliest Catch: The Bait. His most recent Instagram post was a birthday tribute to his father in December 2023.

As per Variety, Mavar is survived by his wife, Julia.