Phil Harris: Deadliest Catch Captain Dies

Phil Harris, who was the captain of the Cornelia Marie vessel featured on the show Deadliest Catch, has died in Alaska at the age of 53.

Harris had suffered a stroke on January 29th while the Cornelia Marie was docked at St. Paul Island, Alaska.  He was immediately flown to Anchorage for emergency surgery.

“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad – Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end,” sons Josh Harris and Jake Harris said in a statement. “For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down.”

In a separate statement, the network stated, “Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.”

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