Zuckerberg’s Superyacht Launchpad Criticized After Alaska Rescue

A 21-foot skiff stranded between Juneau and Petersburg after running out of fuel and issued a call for assistance around 9:30 p.m. on a Monday evening. The U.S. Coast Guard determined the vessel was not in distress and, at approximately 9:56 p.m., broadcast a marine assistance request on its behalf. The cruise ship Wilderness Legacy, operated by UnCruise Adventures, responded, towed the skiff to Farragut Bay and completed the rescue. Vessel-tracking data reviewed by the Alaska Beacon indicated that Mark Zuckerberg’s 387-foot superyacht Launchpad was closer to the skiff at the time the assistance broadcast was issued, yet the yacht’s crew did not intervene.

ForbesNew York PostThe Verge

Launchpad, valued at roughly $300 million, is owned by Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan. The yacht was not carrying the couple during the incident; a spokesperson confirmed they were on a separate small-ship cruise with their son. The episode has drawn renewed public scrutiny of Zuckerberg’s personal wealth and his perceived alignment with former President Donald Trump, given recent high-profile interactions and a $600 billion infrastructure pledge from Meta.

The Guardian

• Launchpad: 387 ft (? 118 m) length; estimated value $300 million.

Forbes

• Stranded vessel: 21 ft (? 6.4 m) skiff carrying two women, a child and a dog.

New York Post

• Rescue vessel: Wilderness Legacy, a small-ship cruise vessel.

New York Post

• Location: Farragut Bay, a five-mile-wide inlet south of Juneau, Alaska.

Forbes

Brian Baker, spokesperson for Zuckerberg and Chan, told Forbes and The Verge that the yacht’s crew were operating on a different radio channel from the Coast Guard broadcast. He added that by the time the crew reviewed the transmission, “the assist was already underway.”

Forbes

The Coast Guard and the Marine Exchange of Alaska did not provide further comment on the yacht’s response.

Forbes

• “We gave them some [gas] and helped find an anchorage for the night,” — Michael Love

Raw Story

• “Frankly, if I was Mark Zuckerberg I would be absolutely ecstatic at a chance to do something helpful for someone in need and maybe get some good PR out of it,” — Michael Love

Raw Story

The primary gap is the absence of direct comment from the U.S. Coast Guard regarding why the yacht’s crew did not respond to the assistance broadcast. All sources agree the crew were on a different radio channel, but they do not clarify whether the yacht received the broadcast at all. Additionally, while vessel-tracking data shows Launchpad was nearer the skiff, no official statement from the yacht’s captain confirms awareness of the distress call.

Forbes