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Mark Zuckerberg has denied that his $300 million superyacht, Launchpad, ignored a call for help from a stranded boat in southeast Alaska. The incident took place on Monday, (August 3) between Juneau and Petersburg, when a 21-foot skiff ran out of fuel near Kuiu Island. While the skiff was ultimately rescued by a cruise ship, questions arose after the captain of the cruise ship announced that Zuckerberg's yacht had been closer to the scene but did not respond to the request for assistance.
The cruise ship Wilderness Legacy, operated by UnCruise Adventures, diverted from its route to tow the stranded skiff to safety. Passengers on board described hearing that the Launchpad was nearby but did not answer radio calls, leading to negative reactions among those present.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported receiving a call for help at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday, (August 3). After assessing the situation, the Coast Guard determined the skiff was not in immediate distress and issued a general marine assistance request. Marine Exchange of Alaska helped relay the message, and the Wilderness Legacy responded to the call, refueling and towing the skiff into Farragut Bay. The crew later confirmed the rescued vessel made it safely to Petersburg.
Social media posts and passenger accounts suggested that Launchpad's crew did not respond to the call for help. However, a spokesperson for Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, told Forbes that neither Zuckerberg nor Chan was on board at the time. The spokesperson explained that the yacht's crew had been monitoring a different radio channel and only learned of the assistance request after the rescue was already underway.
The Coast Guard clarified there was no official distress call, only a marine assistance broadcast, which meant immediate action by all vessels in the area was not legally required. The incident has raised discussion about maritime obligations for large private vessels near rescue situations.
Launchpad, delivered in 2024, is one of the world's largest superyachts and includes facilities such as helipads and a swimming pool. There is currently no indication of further investigation or charges related to the incident. All parties involved have been reported safe.