Mark Zuckerberg is under scrutiny following reports that the crew of a yacht owned by the Meta CEO did not respond to a distress call from another vessel near Alaska last week. The incident involved a small skiff that had run out of fuel and issued a call for help on Aug. 3, which was answered by the nearby small cruise ship, the Wilderness Legacy, towing the skiff to safety in Farragut Bay in southeast Alaska.

According to maritime law expert Ian Ralby, maritime regulations mandate that all ships must assist in response to distress calls or requests for help, provided it does not endanger their own vessel. Ralby emphasized the importance of saving lives at sea, considering the inherent risks involved in maritime activities.

Despite being closer to the distressed skiff, Zuckerberg’s yacht, named Launchpad, did not respond to the call for assistance. A spokesperson for Zuckerberg explained that the crew did not hear the initial distress call and only became aware of the situation after another nearby ship had already intervened.

The spokesperson further clarified that the Coast Guard verified the skiff was not in immediate distress, and by the time the crew received the distress call on a different radio channel, help was already on the way. The spokesperson also confirmed that Zuckerberg and his family were not present on the yacht during the incident.