Zuckerberg faces questions over superyacht's reported refusal to help stranded boat

Mark Zuckerberg is facing scrutiny after his superyacht reportedly refused to help a stranded boat in Alaska. The 387-foot yacht, valued at approximately $300 million, was allegedly closer to the distressed vessel than a cruise ship that ultimately provided assistance.

The incident occurred last week when a 21-foot skiff ran out of fuel between Petersburg and Juneau. Passengers aboard the UnCruise Adventures ship Wilderness Legacy reported that their vessel rescued the stranded boat after the Coast Guard had contacted Zuckerberg's yacht. According to a passenger's post on Bluesky, the yacht "repeatedly refused to respond," leading to near-unanimous booing on the cruise ship when the captain announced the situation.

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Our boat rescued a stranded vessel last night and apparently we did that after the Coast Guard radioed Mark Zuckerberg’s yacht – which was closer – and they repeatedly refused to respond.

A spokesperson for Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, told Forbes that the couple was not on board the yacht, named Launchpad, at the time. The spokesperson, Brian Baker, explained that the yacht's crew was operating on a different radio channel. By the time they reviewed the broadcast, Baker stated, the assist was already in progress.

Regardless of Zuckerberg's presence on board, the report is unlikely to improve his public image. He has previously faced criticism regarding the societal impact of his social media platforms, his recent relationship with Donald Trump, and his perceived lavish and insular lifestyle. Online reactions to the incident included comments on Reddit expressing disdain for the yacht, with one user calling it an "excessive eyesore."

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The assist was already under way.