Is Captain Keith Colburn Still Alive After His Cardiac Event? About the 'Deadliest Catch' Cast Member

The reality TV series Deadliest Catch is known for featuring a dangerous occupation where people occasionally lose their lives. Focused on the lives of people who run ships in the deadly North Sea to catch Alaskan crabs, the show doesn't generally show a calm day on the water.

But viewers watched something unusual and potentially deadly unfold that had nothing to do with the treacherous waves outside. Captain Keith Colburn collapsed in the wheelhouse of the ship owned by himself and his brother, Monte, the F/V Wizard. Is Keith still alive? Here's what we know.

It was a harrowing moment for viewers of the show. Monte and Keith were arguing in the wheelhouse when things took a sudden and terrifying turn.

Keith made an odd sound off camera, then a thud could be heard. Monte, putting aside his annoyance with his brother, called out to him. The camera panned over to reveal Keith lying semi-prone on the floor of the wheelhouse. He was making retching sounds and didn't move much.

Monte called for help, and they placed Keith in a booth sitting upright. Keith was clearly distressed and explained that his left side was numb. The tearful captain asked for nitroglycerin and expressed his distress, looking ill and disturbed by the entire incident. After he was rushed to medical care, Keith's condition was stabilized and it seems as though he is recovering.

Although Keith was rushed to help as quickly as the F/V Wizard could go, criticism immediately fell on Keith's brother Monte.

The duo has a famously contentious relationship, and some criticized the brother for not seeking help quickly enough or doing enough to reassure his frightened brother. Yet there's not much that can be done when the ships are far out to sea.

Fishing for Alaskan crab isn't just risky because the waves and the cold are deadly on their own. Part of what makes it so dangerous is the fact that help is so far away when the worst happens.

You can call for aid and rush to port, but it still takes time to get to help. Fans of the show might remember when Captain Phil Harris similarly suffered a cardiac event on his ship and passed away 11 days later, despite rushing for help.

But criticism of Monte seems a bit unfair since he was clearly shaken and seemed to be doing the best he could to find quick help for his brother. At one point, he hesitates over the radio, scrambling to figure out the best way to find help. The brothers do tend to butt heads pretty famously, but that doesn't mean that Monte didn't do all he could to help his ailing brother.

Monte called it a "no-brainer" to rush to his brother's aid and refused to keep fishing after his brother tried to brush off the incident. Monte told Keith later, "I'm just really concerned here." The brothers went back and forth as Keith tried to brush it off, and Monte refused to let it go and doggedly sought help for his brother. Hopefully, Keith's health will continue to improve and the brothers can work out the issues that they were arguing over when the incident took place.