Mark Zuckerberg is under scrutiny following reports that his yacht crew, belonging to the Meta CEO, allegedly did not respond to a distress call from another vessel near Alaska last week. The incident occurred off the coast of Alaska on Aug. 3, when a small skiff ran out of fuel and sent out a distress call via the U.S. Coast Guard. The nearby small cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, came to the skiff’s aid and towed it to Farragut Bay in southeast Alaska as per maritime law, which mandates ships to assist unless it endangers their own safety.
Ian Ralby, an expert in maritime law, emphasized the duty to rescue individuals in distress at sea, highlighting the risks involved in maritime activities. Despite being closer to the skiff, Zuckerberg’s yacht, named Launchpad, did not respond to the call for help. A spokesperson for Zuckerberg explained that the crew was unaware of the distress call at first and only became aware after another vessel had already provided assistance.
The spokesperson clarified that the Coast Guard confirmed the skiff was not in distress and that assistance was already underway when the crew learned of the situation through a different radio channel. Zuckerberg and his family were not present on the yacht during the incident.