What happened to Captain Mark Howard from Below Deck Med?

Below Deck Med’s cast and crew mourned the passing of their very first Captain, Mark Howard. Here is everything you need to know about his death.

Back in 2016, Mark Howard was the first ever Captain on the cast of Below Deck Mediterranean as they sailed across Greece. Before the show, Mark had a whopping 30 years of work experience under his belt as a yacht captain. The Australian star also loved flying and got himself a pilot license just for fun.

He was on Below Deck Med for only one season, but still managed to leave a strong impression on the viewers. Unfortunately, Mark died in October of 2021 and the news of his passing made the fans and cast-mates feel an immense amount of loss.

How did Mark Howard of Below Deck die?

The news of his death was given to the public by friend and costar Tiffany Copeland. She tweeted “RIP Captain Mark Howard. You were a joy to be around.” When fans asked for more details about his death she refused to disclose anything else. She wrote, “I don’t have many details at this time, but he passed away yesterday.”

It is reported that he passed away in his home in Florida and his family never disclosed too many details to respect Mark’s private nature. Even his crewmates remember him as a gentle and reserved leader. During Bravo’s 2019 Daily Dish Podcast, Hannah Ferrier was asked about Mark. Hannah served as the chief stewardess during the same season as Mark so she knew him closely.

She said, “I don’t really think I knew what he was up to when I was working with him, let alone three years later. He was like the opposite of [Captain Sandy Yawn]. He kind of drove the boat and stayed in his cabin, so it was lovely.” Mark was 65 at the time of his death.

Was Captain Mark Howard replaced on Below Deck Med?

Despite his death, Bravo decided to continue with Below Deck Mediterranean. The network chose Captain Sandy Yawn to take over his job and she has been the Captain of the season ever since. She wrapped the eighth season of the show in January 2024, and there has been no announcement on whether or not Med is getting a Season 9 as of yet.