Alaskan cruise ship rescues stranded skiff despite closer superyacht
The Wilderness Legacy tow a fuel-depleted skiff to safety near Farragut Bay after a nearby superyacht, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, did not respond to the assistance request.
An Alaskan cruise vessel, the Wilderness Legacy, towed a small skiff that had run out of fuel back to safety near Farragut Bay on Thursday evening. Tracking data reviewed by local maritime outlets showed that Mark Zuckerberg’s superyacht, Launchpad, was positioned closer to the distressed boat at the time, but did not intervene.
A passenger on the Wilderness Legacy reported that the ship’s captain announced the proximity of the Launchpad and noted that the yacht did not respond to the call for help. The cruise ship then passed the yacht, turned around, and secured the skiff before returning it to port.
The U.S. Coast Guard, which had issued a marine assistance broadcast after determining the skiff was not in immediate danger, did not comment further on the incident.
"Mark and his family were not on board at the time of the incident. 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," spokesperson Brian Baker said.