‘Deadliest Catch’ Crewman Francis Katungin Seriously Injured in Boat Accident (VIDEO)

A scary accident occurred on Tuesday night’s episode of Deadliest Catch after a rogue wave left crew member Francis Katungin crushed against a railing, causing him serious injury.

It was a nightmare situation for Captain Rip Carlton, who last year lost beloved fisherman Todd Kochutin in a similar accident aboard the Patricia Lee. Kochutin tragically passed away in February 2021 at just 30-years-old. His obituary revealed that he died from injuries sustained while out crab fishing. Further details were confirmed when the episode aired, revealing that Kochutin had been hit by an 800-pound crab pot.

In Tuesday’s episode of the long-running Discovery series, while the crew was setting crab pots in rough seas, a large wave dislodged a pot out of the launcher. This left deckhand Katungin pinned against a railing by a massive piece of welded steel. The situation was so severe that Deadliest Catch producer Todd Stanley appeared on camera to provide first aid.

Captain Rip gets ambushed by a huge wave, and one of his deckhands gets injured between two crab pots.#DeadliestCatch starts now on @discovery, and streaming on @discoveryplus: https://t.co/A6NRkzPJLG pic.twitter.com/VP8piwfdm9

— Deadliest Catch (@DeadliestCatch) April 27, 2022

The extent of Katungin’s injuries is not currently known, but it was clear from the episode that he had suffered significant damage to his pelvic area, possibly resulting in a broken hip and shattered pelvis. Tuesday’s episode ended with Captain Carlton piloting his boat 16 hours to get within range of a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter that could help evacuate the wounded crewman.

“Last year, Todd was killed on that boat,” said Cornelia Marie co-captain Casey McManus in the episode. “Now he’s having another guy get crushed. This is just… I mean…”

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Captain Carlton tried to remain optimistic despite the dire circumstances. “You gotta do the best job you can,” he said. “My best job is to get this boat to a safe spot for the Coast Guard to get Francis off, which is not gonna be easy.”

As he waited for rescue, Katungin said, “I just want to finish this trip. Finish this f****** season… This is where I like being is right here. This is what I love doing.”

Deadliest Catch, Season 18, Tuesdays, 8/7c, Discovery and discovery+