Mark Zuckerberg’s Superyacht Criticised Over Stranded Boat Incident In Alaska
Zuckerberg’s superyacht faces criticism over a stranded boat incident.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's $300 million superyacht Launchpad has come under scrutiny after a small boat ran out of fuel off the coast of Alaska and was rescued by a nearby cruise ship. The 21-foot skiff was travelling between Petersburg and Juneau on Monday night when it ran out of fuel near Kuiu Island in southeast Alaska.
According to the US Coast Guard, the crew of the stranded boat requested assistance at around 9:30 p.m. The Coast Guard determined that the vessel was not in distress but later issued a marine assistance request to nearby vessels. The incident prompted a response from the MV Wilderness Legacy, a small cruise ship operated by UnCruise Adventures.
Ship-tracking data cited by the Alaska Beacon indicated that Launchpad and its support vessel, Wingman, were closer to the stranded skiff than the Wilderness Legacy. The cruise ship nevertheless diverted from its route to assist the boat. A passenger aboard the cruise ship later reported that the captain had indicated Launchpad was closer but had not responded to the assistance request.
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The passenger subsequently described the incident on Bluesky, claiming that the cruise ship had rescued the stranded vessel after the Coast Guard contacted Zuckerberg's yacht. The account prompted questions about why Launchpad did not respond to the request for assistance despite reportedly being in the vicinity of the stranded boat.
A spokesperson for Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, provided a different explanation. Brian Baker told Forbes that neither Zuckerberg nor Chan was aboard Launchpad at the time. He said the yacht's crew had been monitoring a different radio channel and became aware of the assistance request only after the rescue operation was already underway.
Launchpad, reportedly valued at around $300 million, measures 387 feet and is accompanied by the support vessel Wingman. The incident has drawn attention because of the yacht's reported proximity to the stranded skiff, although the explanation from Zuckerberg's representative disputes the suggestion that the crew deliberately ignored the assistance request.
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