UnCruise ship assists fuel-stranded skiff in Alaska

A 21-foot skiff traveling between Petersburg and Juneau ran out of fuel and sought assistance shortly after 9:30 p.m. Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Shannon Shepard said the agency determined at about 9:56 p.m. that the vessel was not in distress and issued a marine assistance request broadcast.

John Hollingsworth, chief operations officer of the Marine Exchange of Alaska, said the organization eventually contacted Wilderness Legacy, an UnCruise Adventures ship. The vessel changed course, reached the skiff and towed it into the protected waters of Farragut Bay, where its crew supplied fuel.

UnCruise said the skiff continued its journey and arrived safely in Petersburg the following day. No injuries were reported.

Passenger Michael Love alleged that the Coast Guard had also radioed Launchpad, a yacht associated with Mark Zuckerberg, and that its crew repeatedly failed to respond despite being closer. Brian Baker, a spokesperson for Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, disputed that the crew knowingly ignored the request. He said Launchpad was monitoring a different radio channel and that Wilderness Legacy was already responding when its crew reviewed the Coast Guard contact. Baker also said Zuckerberg and his family were not aboard the yacht during the incident.