Below Deck star Mark Howard 'suddenly' passes away at age 65

Captain Mark Howard, the star of Below Deck: Mediterranean, has passed away at 65 years old.

Howard's Below Deck costar Tiffany Jones confirmed the news on Twitter this Friday, writing "RIP Captain Mark Howard. You were a joy to be around."

The well-loved reality star is said to have passed away suddenly in his home in Florida earlier this week.

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Howard's cause of death has not been confirmed but a family friend told TMZ reporters that his death was "sudden".

According to TMZ reports, Howard's wife Susan wasn't present during the incident as she had travelled interstate for a dog show. She returned to find her husband had passed away upstairs.

It is unclear whether Howard's death is being treated as a matter for investigation.

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Howard was born in Michigan and raised near a lake. He had been a yacht captain for almost 30 years, according to Bravo.

On the series Below Deck, the experienced captain sailed through luxurious locations like the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

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