'Deadliest Catch' features dramatic airlift rescue

Discovery

The crabbing vessel Wizard on "Deadliest Catch."

By Randee Dawn

By calling it "Deadliest Catch," Discovery was obviously setting up audiences for some serious drama from the cast of its reality show about Alaskan king crabbing boats and their crews. But after revelations of drug usage and the shocking deaths of the captain and a new deckhand, it seemed like this show might have more drama than it could handle.?

Nope -- last night's show proved there's still plenty to offer from the high seas, as the episode picked up where it left off last week with harrowing footage of Wizard crew member Chris Scambler, who suddenly fell ill. The greenhorn had been struck down with shooting pains in his neck and arms, which quickly turned into convulsions. Without a doctor on the boat, he had to be airlifted by the Coast Guard to take him to an Alaskan hospital.

The story was reported last year by AP, but at the time the crewmember was not identified. The clip above reveals?that Scambler was the 28-year-old crewman referred to in the original story. Scrambler was reported to be suffering from dehydration and shock, and was eventually moved to Anchorage and stabilized.?

"I'm sorry," Chris said as he was being prepped for removal.?

"Don't be sorry, man, you did a great job for me," Capt. Keith Colburn told him. "All right?"

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