Passengers on Alaska cruise ship jeer after learning Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 Million superyacht ignored radio call for help — as their vessel rescued stranded skiff while billionaire’s 387-foot Launchpad just sat there
Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 million superyacht, Launchpad, was closer to a stranded Alaska skiff than the cruise ship that ultimately came to its aid, drawing criticism from passengers who learned that the yacht had not responded to an assistance request.
According to reports from Alaska Beacon, the incident unfolded on Monday night, August 3, when a 21-foot skiff ran out of fuel while traveling between Petersburg and Juneau.
However, the circumstances were more complicated than the initial account suggested, as the U.S. Coast Guard later said the skiff had not issued a distress call and was not considered to be in immediate danger.
The UnCruise Adventures vessel Wilderness Legacy made an unexpected detour to assist the stranded vessel. Passenger Michael Love later described the moment on Bluesky, saying the ship’s captain told passengers that Launchpad was closer but had not responded to the radio call.
“There was near unanimous booing when the captain announced this,” Love wrote. He later said he appreciated being aboard a vessel that chose to help.
“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,” the software developer added.
The announcement also sparked criticism online.
The Coast Guard received the call shortly after 9:30 p.m. and determined at approximately 9:56 p.m. that the people aboard the skiff were not in distress.
Officials then issued a Marine Assistance Request Broadcast to alert nearby vessels. The Marine Exchange of Alaska also repeated the request and eventually reached Wilderness Legacy, which went to assist the stranded skiff.
The cruise ship towed the boat and the skiff received fuel near Farragut Bay. The following day, Wilderness Legacy’s captain contacted those aboard and learned they had safely made it back to Petersburg.
The rescue also follows another recent act of aid by a small cruise ship in Southeast Alaska. On July 30, National Geographic Quest assisted a family whose sailboat was sunk by a humpback whale in Glacier Bay National Park, according to KTOO.
Zuckerberg’s representatives later explained why Launchpad’s crew did not respond to the assistance request. They clarified that Zuckerberg and his family were not aboard the yacht at the time.
“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. We’re grateful all parties are safe,” a spokesperson said.
The 387-foot Feadship yacht reportedly cost around $300 million and ranks among the world’s largest private yachts, according to YachtWorld.
Zuckerberg’s vessel has a steel hull, an aluminum superstructure and engines capable of reaching speeds of up to 24 knots. It is also reportedly the second-largest yacht ever built by Feadship.