Zuckerberg and his family were not aboard the superyacht at the time of the incident, according to a spokesperson for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative in a statement shared with Halifax Shipping News and the Alaska Beacon.
What the ship-tracking data shows
Ship-tracking data using AIS transponder data actively broadcast by each vessel shows that Zuckerberg’s 387-foot superyacht was initially moving ahead of the 192-foot Wilderness Legacy at a slightly faster speed. But then Launchpad slowed to a stop and allowed Wilderness Legacy to pass it.
Wilderness Legacy appears to proceed with assisting the stranded boat, as described by the YouTube channel The Yacht Report in a video showing the AIS tracking paths. The Coast Guard confirmed that the ship towed the boat to Farragut Bay so that it could find safe anchorage, and the Alaska Beacon reported that Wilderness Legacy was able to refuel the skiff for the rest of its journey.
Did Mark Zuckerberg’s superyacht refuse to help a vessel in distress?
However, the Coast Guard statement made no mention of Zuckerberg’s superyacht, Launchpad.
Launchpad’s support ship, Wingman, is described by the publication YachtWorld as being equipped with deck space for carrying a helicopter, a Triton submarine that acts as a personal submersible for superyachts, water scooters, and multiple smaller boats.
Ship-tracking data shows that Wingman moved past both Launchpad and the Wilderness Legacy without stopping. It also shows that Launchpad finally resumed moving again after the Wilderness Legacy appeared to return from having assisted the small skiff.
The missed emergency broadcast
The Zuckerberg spokesperson offered an explanation for why Launchpad did not initially respond to the Coast Guard’s request for assistance.
“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,” the spokesperson said in the statement shared with news outlets. “We’re grateful all parties are safe.”