Mark Zuckerberg’s 387-foot superyacht was reportedly closer to a stranded boat in Southeast Alaska than the ship that ultimately went to help, prompting questions about why the enormous vessel did not respond first.
The 21-foot Hewescraft contacted the U.S. Coast Guard on the night of August 3 after running out of fuel near Point Highland. The Coast Guard determined that the people aboard were not in distress and issued a marine-assistance request to vessels in the area.
Vessel-tracking data reviewed by multiple outlets placed Zuckerberg’s Launchpad closer to the skiff than the 192-foot expedition ship Wilderness Legacy. The smaller cruise vessel nevertheless responded, reached the boat and towed it into Farragut Bay.
Zuckerberg and his family were not aboard Launchpad. His spokesperson later said the yacht’s crew had been operating on a different radio channel and did not review the Coast Guard contact until the assistance effort was already underway.
The Skiff Called the Coast Guard After Running Out of Fuel
The incident began at approximately 9:32 p.m. on August 3 when the 21-foot Hewescraft contacted the Coast Guard on VHF-FM Channel 16 near Point Highland.
After communicating with the people aboard, the Coast Guard determined at approximately 9:56 p.m. that the vessel was not in distress and issued a marine-assistance request broadcast on its behalf. Wilderness Legacy responded to the broadcast and reached the skiff at approximately 10:58 p.m.
The cruise ship then towed the smaller boat into the more sheltered waters of Farragut Bay, where the Coast Guard said it was safely anchored at approximately 12:50 a.m. on August 4. Passenger Michael Love later said the skiff was carrying two women, a child and a dog. He wrote that the group had traveled too far without enough fuel and that the responding ship provided fuel and helped them find a place to anchor.
Passengers Were Told Zuckerberg’s Yacht Was Closer
Love wrote on Bluesky that their captain announced that the Coast Guard had contacted Zuckerberg’s yacht, which was closer, but that it had “repeatedly refused to respond.” “There was near unanimous booing when the captain announced this,” Love wrote, according to The Associated Press.
Zuckerberg’s representatives subsequently disputed the implication that Launchpad‘s crew knowingly received the request and refused it. The Verge reported that AIS vessel-tracking data reviewed by the Alaska Beacon and Halifax Shipping News showed Launchpad closer to the skiff.
The tracking showed Launchpad slowing near the entrance to Farragut Bay as Wilderness Legacy passed it, later turned toward the stranded boat and eventually towed the skiff into the bay.
Zuckerberg’s Spokesperson Says the Crew Did Not Deliberately Ignore the Call
Brian Baker, a spokesperson for Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, offered a different account after the incident began attracting criticism. “Mark and his family were not on board at the time of the incident,” Baker said in a statement reported by The Associated Press.
He also pointed to the Coast Guard’s determination that the skiff was not in distress. “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,” Baker said. “We’re grateful all parties are safe.”
The Coast Guard Says the Skiff Was Not in Distress
After receiving the skiff’s initial call, the Coast Guard assessed the circumstances for about 24 minutes before issuing a marine-assistance request. That also affects questions about whether Launchpad had a legal obligation to respond.
Federal law requires the master or person in charge of a vessel to provide assistance to an individual found at sea who is in danger of being lost, provided that doing so would not seriously endanger the assisting vessel or people aboard.
Launchpad Is More Than Twice the Length of the Skiff’s Rescuing Ship
Dutch shipbuilder Feadship lists Launchpad at 118 meters, or just over 387 feet long. Completed in 2024, the yacht features two certified helipads, a swimming pool with a movable floor, an observation lounge and a private owner’s deck with a Jacuzzi.
Reports have commonly valued the yacht at approximately $300 million, although Feadship does not publish an official purchase price. Wilderness Legacy, by comparison, measures 192 feet.
UnCruise Adventures lists the U.S.-registered expedition vessel as carrying up to 86 guests in 43 cabins. Built in 1984, it operates adventure cruises in Alaska and other remote waterways.
Wilderness Legacy Towed the Boat Into Farragut Bay
After reaching the Hewescraft at approximately 10:58 p.m., Wilderness Legacy towed it toward Farragut Bay and helped get the stranded boat into protected water. The skiff’s occupants were also provided with fuel. The Coast Guard reported that the 21-foot vessel was safely anchored in Farragut Bay at approximately 12:50 a.m. on August 4.