Its with heavy hearts that we have to pass on the news that Phil Harris, captain of the Cornelia Marie fishing boat featured on “Deadliest Catch,” has died this morning in Alaska. He was 53.
Per EW:
“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad — Captain Phil Harris,” said a statement from his sons, Jake and Josh Harris. “Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end.”
Harris suffered a stroke Jan. 29 while the ship was docked at St. Paul Island, Alaska. (Read about that here.) He was in a medically induced coma following a marathon surgery. Harris had seemed to be improving, and in a posting last Saturday on the ship’s Web site, he was described as “talking to friends and family today; showing his greatest progress” since the stroke. According to his biography on the ship’s Web site, Harris became a captain at 21 on the boat F/V Golden Viking, based in Seattle and operating in the Bering Sea. In 1983, after he left to work on another boat, the Golden Viking sank off St. Matthew Island, Alaska. He had helmed the Cornelia Marie since 1990.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
I was so very sadden by the passing of such a great man as Captain Phil . He was one of the only captains I was watching the show for . My heartfelt sorrow goes to his sons and family and I wish you all the very best .
He will be very much missed by millons of people around the world .
Sincerely Yours ,
Sue Castonguay
He was my favorite. I will deeply miss his sense of humor and his straight-forwardness. The show will not be the same. My heart goes out to his family.
I will miss him .He was the sexiest man on the show, He was the best at what he dose. The Boys are in my prayers. Smooth sailing & Fair Winds…U will be MISSED PHIL……