Mark Zuckerberg is taking some heat after his yacht allegedly failed to assist a stranded boat in Alaska. The Meta CEO is now firing back, saying the criticism is unwarranted.
The incident reportedly began last Monday night when a cruise ship took a detour to help a 21-foot skiff that ran out of fuel in Southeast Alaska. Michael Love, a passenger on the cruise ship, wrote on social media that the captain announced Zuckerberg’s yacht, the $300 million, 387-foot Launchpad, was closer to the skiff but did nothing to help. Love said passengers started booing Zuckerberg, adding he should have used the opportunity to “do something helpful for someone in need and maybe get some good PR out of it.”
According to the Alaska Beacon, Launchpad came to a stop near the skiff in Farragut Bay. The cruise ship then reportedly sailed around the yacht and towed the skiff to safety. The U.S. Coast Guard noted there was a general request for assistance but no call for a boat in distress.
A rep for Zuckerberg responded: “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”.
