- A small skiff ran out of fuel off the coast of Alaska and issued a call for assistance through the US Coast Guard.
- The crew of Zuckerberg's yacht, Launchpad, did not hear the radio call because it was on a different channel.
- A nearby small cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, towed the skiff into Farragut Bay and refueled it.
- Passenger Michael Love described the incident on Bluesky, noting passengers booed when the captain announced what happened.
- Zuckerberg's spokesperson confirmed he was not on board and that all parties were safe.
- The incident off the coast of Alaska provoked criticism online, but Zuckerberg’s spokesperson said on Sunday that he was not on board at the time.
- Under maritime law, crews are generally obligated to respond to a distress call unless doing so would put their own vessel at risk.
- A passenger on the cruise ship had previously described on social media how the vessel he was on went to the skiff’s assistance, while claiming that the authorities had radioed Zuckerberg’s yacht and they “repeatedly refused to respond”.
- The spokesperson for Facebook’s owner noted that the Coast Guard had determined the skiff was not in distress.
The crew of Mark Zuckerberg's yacht, Launchpad, did not respond to a Coast Guard call for help when a nearby skiff ran out of fuel off the coast of Alaska.123
The incident occurred last week, prompting criticism after a passenger on the nearby cruise ship, Wilderness Legacy, described the rescue on social media.
According to reports, the skiff issued a distress call through the Coast Guard, but Launchpad's crew did not hear the request in time. By the time they reviewed the Coast Guard contact, the Wilderness Legacy had already towed the skiff to safety in Farragut Bay and refueled it.4
A spokesperson for Zuckerberg stated, “Mark and his family were not on board at the time of the incident... the boat was not in distress”. The spokesperson emphasized that the yacht's crew was monitoring a different radio channel.11
The incident drew attention online, with passengers on the Wilderness Legacy reportedly booing when they learned of the yacht's inaction. One passenger, Michael Love, remarked, “If I was Mark Zuckerberg I would be absolutely ecstatic at a chance to do something helpful for someone in need”. Under maritime law, vessels are generally required to respond to distress calls unless it poses a risk to their own safety.569
The Coast Guard confirmed that the skiff was not in distress, and all parties involved were safe.
“The Wilderness Legacy towed the skiff into Farragut Bay for refueling, and passenger Michael Love said passengers erupted in 'near-unanimous booing' when the captain announced the incident. Zuckerberg was not on board, and the Coast Guard determined the skiff was not in distress.”
The Guardian
