Discovery Plus’s Deadliest Catch Season 20 star Captain Keith Colburn fell ill at sea exposing the vulnerabilities facing crab fishermen.

Many people believe that the most difficult, most terrifying thing about Deadliest Catch are the elements. Between the intensifying weather and unforgiving waters, crabbing out on the Bering Sea is not for the faint of heart. But what if your heart gives out while you’re miles away from shore? Deadliest Catch has once again showcased a medical emergency out at sea, and it highlights perhaps the ocean’s biggest threat: the human body.

Deadliest Catch is Discovery Channel’s hit high-stress reality series capturing the lives of fishermen during the crabbing season in Alaska. Since 2005, the series has exemplified the dangers the industry has to offer. Currently in its twentieth season, viewers recently witnessed the medical emergency of Fishing Vessel Wizard’s renowned Captain Keith Colburn. He’s not the first to experience a situation while out at sea. And he likely won’t be the last.

Captain Keith Colburn Was Rushed to the Hospital

During a recent episode of Deadliest Catch, fans watched as Captain Keith Colburn’s worst fear came to fruition. He experienced a cardiac event that was so terrifying that the scene went viral. Seen with his brother, Captain Monte “Mouse” Colburn, Captain Keith revealed that he couldn’t feel his left arm. At first, Mouse believed he was joking, but the more Captain Keith panicked, the more Mouse knew this was something serious. Captain Keith was placed into an ambulance to receive treatment.

In the following episode, Captain Keith Colburn was seen in a hospital bed in Anchorage, Alaska, where doctors performed a full scan as it was revealed he lost consciousness multiple times at sea. His medical emergency caused him to fall and hit his head, causing him to panic. His test results revealed that it was likely not a heart attack. Captain Keith was left confused about what was wrong. He was guided by the emergency room specialists to seek further assistance and testing from a cardiac specialist. But, like the hard worker he is, Captain Keith was hungry to return to his wheelhouse and get back to work. Unfortunately, he was not given the go-ahead from the hospital. He eventually told his brother that he may have had a mini-stroke, another reason that prevented him from going back to work.

Captain Keith Colburn had previously been on the rescue end of a crew member experiencing a medical emergency. This is not the only time Captain Keith Colburn has experienced someone on his ship dealing with a medical emergency. On F/V Wizard a season prior, Captain Keith Colburn rushed one of his own crew members ashore to help with excruciating chest pain. Oj Ganuelas was rushed to the hospital for his own medical emergency. Thankfully, the deckhand was brought to a facility to receive treatment.

The incident is not the first time Deadliest Catch has seen its stars experiencing medical emergencies on camera. The face of the program, Captain Sig Hansen, experienced his own terrifying heart attack that almost ended his fishing career. During his incident, he stated that the pain he experienced was like a knife in his chest. His crew at the time, which included Nick Mavar, who passed this year of a heart attack, leaped into action to get Captain Sig immediate medical attention. The Season 12 incident was not the only time Hansen has experienced a heart attack. However, the next incident occurred off-ship. During Season 15, he shared with his crew he had a scare while he was in Seattle. Hansen’s health issues have caused him to believe it could end his illustrious career at sea.

As it just so happens, on the same episode, Captain Keith Colburn was recovering from his medical emergency. Over on the Fishing Vessel Titan Explorer, Captain Jake Anderson rushed into action to help his deckhand Chino after a cage slammed into his head. He screamed that he couldn’t feel his leg. His crew stabilized him, and Captain Jake called the Coast Guard to rush him for medical assistance.

The human body can truly be the most dangerous thing. Deadliest Catch has highlighted a plethora of stressful moments that have highlighted how the crews handle medical emergencies. While not every situation is handled perfectly, it’s allowed a conversation to be had about what can be done to improve should they happen again. It’s allowed viewers to communicate with one another should they witness similar signs for themselves or a loved one. Whether you think Deadliest Catch is fake or not, these moments illuminate the danger on the ocean. Deadliest Catch airs new episodes every Tuesday at 8:00pm on Discovery Channel. All episodes are available to stream on Max.

Watch on Max