Zuckerberg’s yacht was closest to stranded boat but ‘refused’ to help: Report
Zuckerberg's yacht, Launchpad, reportedly did not respond to a stranded skiff's distress call, with the crew unaware due to a different radio channel. The incident garnered attention as a cruise ship ultimately rescued the skiff, raising questions about the yacht's responsiveness.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has responded to questions raised after his 387ft superyacht reportedly failed to assist a stranded skiff and its crew, despite being the closest vessel to the boat, The Guardian reported.
Zuckerberg’s yacht, Launchpad, is reportedly worth around $300 million. According to reports, the yacht’s crew repeatedly declined to assist after a nearby boat called for help last week. Zuckerberg was not on board at the time, according to a spokesperson who spoke to Forbes.
The 21ft skiff had run out of fuel between Petersburg and Juneau, according to the Alaska Beacon. It was eventually rescued by a cruise ship that was farther away than Zuckerberg’s yacht.
Quick answers to key questions
Zuckerberg's yacht, Launchpad, reportedly failed to assist a stranded 21ft skiff despite being the closest vessel, leading to criticism after a nearby cruise ship performed the rescue.
The yacht's crew claimed they were operating on a different radio channel and did not hear the initial call for assistance, stating that assistance was already being arranged by the time they received the broadcast.
Passengers on the cruise ship expressed their discontent with near-unanimous booing when the captain announced that their ship had rescued a stranded vessel after Zuckerberg's yacht refused to respond.
The incident raises ethical questions about the responsibilities of mega-yacht owners, especially when they are the closest vessels to boats in distress, leading to calls for a reassessment of maritime assistance norms.
The proximity of Zuckerberg's yacht to the stranded skiff underscored public expectations for action, highlighting an apparent moral obligation for wealthy yacht owners to assist those in need when possible.
A passenger on the UnCruise Adventures ship Wilderness Legacy, which rescued the stranded boat, described the incident on Bluesky.
“I’m on a small-ship Alaska cruise with my son,” the passenger wrote. “Our boat rescued a stranded vessel last night and apparently we did that after the Coast Guard radioed Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, which was closer, and they repeatedly refused to respond.”
The passenger added that there was “near unanimous booing” when the ship’s captain announced the incident.
Zuckerberg's response
Brian Baker, a spokesperson for Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, said the couple were not aboard Launchpad when the incident occurred.
Baker said the yacht’s crew had been operating on a different radio channel and did not hear the initial call for assistance. He added that “the assist was already underway” by the time the crew reviewed the broadcast.
The incident has nevertheless drawn attention because of the yacht’s size and proximity to the stranded vessel.
Zuckerberg, who co-founded Facebook at 19 and became a billionaire at 22, has faced criticism over the broader social impact of Meta’s platforms and his increasingly visible political ties, including his relationship with US President Donald Trump.
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