Skip to Content

Deadliest Catch Captain Keith Colburn has taken to social media in order to acknowledge the three crew members lost in the Mary B II capsizing on Tuesday night.

Earlier this week, this crab fishing vessel – which had been featured on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove – crashed in the Yaquina Bay bar in Newport, Oregon.

Three people died in the accident.

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

"My sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of the Mary B II," Colburn wrote on social media in response to the tragedy.

The Mary B II asked for a Coast Guard escort while crossing the bar, which is when the three fisherman went into the water.

The victims have since been identified as James Lacey, 48; Joshua Porter, 50; and the boat’s skipper, Stephen Biernacki, 50.

Authorities say crews faced 12 to 14-foot waves as they attempted to rescue those on board.

The Mary B II was featured in a past episode of Deadliest Catch: Dungeon Cove, with a newly-found promo of the show revealing just how dangerous the Newport bar truly is.

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

"Located within a mile from shore, this treacherous stretch of water is closely monitored by the Coast Guard," the promo states, with a fisherman in the clip adding, "This bar could be terrifying."

"That bar [will] kill you," another crab boat crew member said. "You gotta respect it."

"The river bar is a passageway between two man-made jetties connecting Newport Harbor to the Pacific Ocean," the promo went on to say, continuing:

"Under the surface, water from the harbor flows out, colliding with currents coming in, creating monster waves that can exceed 30 feet. It’s impossible to tell when or where these waves will strike.

"If a boat is in their path, destruction is almost certain and survival is rare."

In the wake of this awful development, Discovery has also released a statement that reads:

We feel deeply saddened by the news, as we feel part of the crabbing community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families and the entire community during this difficult time.

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

“We did everything we could. Unfortunately, it was just a tragic outcome, and our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends of the crew,” Petty Officer Levi Reed of the U.S. Coast Guard told a local CBS affiliate.

In addition to Captain Colburn, a handful of Deadliest Catch fans have shared messages of sympathy on social media, with one writing:

"So sad the Mary B. ll, of the Deadliest Catch capsize 3 died. My heart goes out to family and friends."

The Hollywood Gossip Logo

In May of 2018, Blake Painter, another Deadliest Catch Caption, was found dead of a suspected overdose.

Back in 2015, another Deadliest Catch star, Tony Lara, died at age 50 from a heart attack.

Our condolences to go out to the friends, family members and loved one of these late cast members and, of course, the ones who passed away on Tuesday.