Captain Mark Howard’s cause of death has been revealed nearly two months after the “Below Deck Mediterranean” star passed away.
Howard died naturally of hypertensive cardiovascular disease — with chronic alcoholism listed as a contributory cause, according to E! News.
The Bravo alum — who appeared on Season 1 of “Below Deck Med” in 2016 — died at age 65 in October.
“Our thoughts and sincerest sympathies are with the family and friends of the respected Captain Mark Howard,” the network wrote in a statement at the time.
“As the captain of the first season of ‘Below Deck Med,’ he will always be remembered for his many contributions and mentorship and will forever remain part of the Bravo family.”
Howard — a native of Michigan who was a yacht captain for nearly 30 years — was known on the show for his warm demeanor, hands-on interactions with his crew and a penchant for prioritizing charter guests at all costs.
“Be honest, work hard, and pay attention to senior crew members while never forgetting the golden rule of yachting: ‘The guest is always right,’” he previously said, detailing his advice to aspiring yachties.
Following his death, Howard’s third stewardess Tiffany Jones (Copeland) paid tribute to him in a sweet Twitter post.
“RIP Captain Mark Howard. You were a joy to be around,” she captioned photos of herself posing with Howard and his crew.
Meanwhile, Chief stewardess Hannah Ferrier applauded Howard for being an outstanding captain, friend and colleague. “Always the gentleman,” she wrote. “You will be missed.”