Zuckerberg’s Yacht Crew Unaware of Distress Call During Alaska Incident

The crew aboard Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht, Launchpad, did not respond to a distress call from a small skiff that ran low on fuel off Alaska’s coast. According to a spokesperson for the Meta CEO, the crew was unaware of the call until another vessel had already provided assistance.

The Alaska Beacon reported that the skiff issued a call for help through the U.S. Coast Guard last week. A nearby small cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, came to its aid, towing the skiff to Farragut Bay in Southeast Alaska and providing fuel.

Despite being closer to the skiff, Launchpad did not respond to the Coast Guard’s call. Michael Love, a passenger on Wilderness Legacy, shared on Bluesky that their ship rescued the stranded vessel. He mentioned that the Coast Guard had contacted Zuckerberg’s yacht, which reportedly refused to respond. This announcement led to widespread booing from those aboard the Wilderness Legacy.

The spokesperson commented via email, shared by the Alaska Beacon on Sunday, that Launchpad’s crew did not initially hear the call for assistance. They noted, “Mark and his family were not on board at the time of the incident. As the Coast Guard noted, the boat was not in distress, and by the time the crew reviewed the Coast Guard contact on a different radio channel from the one they were operating on, the assist was already underway. We’re grateful all parties are safe.”