Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is under scrutiny after his $300 million superyacht allegedly failed to respond to nearby boaters in need of assistance off the coast of Alaska.
The 387-foot vessel, Launchpad, reportedly did not answer calls for help when a 21-foot skiff ran out of fuel during a nighttime trip between Petersburg and Juneau, Alaska, as reported by The New York Post. Instead, a much smaller cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, diverted to assist the disabled craft, raising fresh questions about the priorities and public image of one of Big Techs most powerful figures.
According to the Alaska Beacon, the Wilderness Legacy, operated by UnCruise Adventures, ultimately took on the rescue that the tech billionaires yacht declined. As the operation unfolded, the cruise ships captain informed passengers that Zuckerbergs superyacht had actually been closer to the stranded skiff than his own vessel but had refused to help, according to one passengers account.
There was near unanimous booing when the captain announced this, vacationer Michael Love wrote in a Bluesky post, capturing the disgust of ordinary travelers watching a luxury ship sit idle. The Coast Guard said the skiff first issued a call for assistance at about 9:30 p.m., a moment when any nearby vessel especially one with the resources of a superyacht might reasonably be expected to respond.
Officials determined the small boat was not in immediate distress but still issued a marine assistance request broadcast roughly 30 minutes later. Vessel-tracking data cited by the Beacon show that the Wilderness Legacy was actually farther from the stranded skiff than Launchpad when the call went out, yet the cruise ship altered course while the mega-yacht remained stationary.
Tracking records further indicate the Wilderness Legacy sailed past Launchpad en route to the disabled vessel, as Zuckerbergs yacht stayed put in open water. The skiff was eventually towed to safety in protected Farragut Bay by the cruise ship, underscoring the contrast between a working vessel stepping up and a billionaires floating palace remaining on the sidelines.
Zuckerbergs spokesperson maintained that the Meta boss and his family were not present and suggested a communications mix-up by the crew. Mark and his family were not on board at the time of the incident, the statement provided to the Beacon said, adding, 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. Were grateful all parties are safe.
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