Source:
E!newsCaptain Phil passed away from complications from a stroke he sufferred on January 29, 2010.
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. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. - Jake and Josh Harris
Read more:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b166538_deadliest_catch_skippers_react_captain.html
Some may not watch Deadliest Catch but me and the misses liked it, but the seasons were too short. Captain Phil was my favorite. He did smoke 3 or 4 packs of cigarettes so I figured it would have been from lung cancer. He was injured last season when his boat the Cornelia Marie was hit by a huge wave. Phil was thrown out of his bed and hit a chest or drawers, breaking his ribs and puncturing his lung. It was the first time in 30 plus years he had missed a day of crab season.
Not sure if it was during taping or not, I would imagine it was since it is crab season.