Zuckerberg defends yacht crew after claim they ignored stranded boat in Alaska
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's spokesperson said the crew of his superyacht did not hear a Coast Guard request for assistance, which was made on a different radio channel, and noted that the vessel was not in distress.
A 387-foot superyacht owned by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was the closest vessel to a 21-foot skiff that ran out of fuel in Alaska on Aug. 3, but a smaller tour steamboat ultimately provided aid. A tourist who was on the tour boat alleged that the Coast Guard had radioed Zuckerberg's yacht and that the crew repeatedly refused to respond.
Zuckerberg's spokesperson Brian Baker said the crew did not hear the call because it was transmitted on a different radio frequency than the one they were using, and by the time they reviewed the contact the assistance was already underway. He added that the Meta CEO and his wife were not on board at the time and that all parties are safe.
Maritime law expert Ian Ralby explained that the request was not classified as a distress call, so the legal duty to respond did not apply, comparing it to the difference between calling emergency services and a roadside assistance service. Retired Coast Guard Captain Aaron C. Davenport said running out of fuel is not an emergency and the yacht had no obligation to assist, though he noted that helping other mariners is a common courtesy in remote areas like Alaska.