Mark Zuckerberg launches social media platform - Mark Zuckerberg's mega yacht "Launchpad" makes its way to Mallorca, unable to conceal its presence.
Tech billionaires are all about having their own yachts. Jeff Bezos has the "Koru," Larry Ellison has the "Musashi," and Mark Zuckerberg joined in recently with his "Launchpad." Except for Bill Gates, who seems to be more interested in being an environmental activist than a yacht owner.
Zuckerberg was excited to get his hands on a yacht that was originally made for a Russian oligarch. What he didn't like, however, was the attention his purchase drew. The founder of Facebook values his privacy immensely.
Zuckerberg prizes his privacy highly
The yacht, estimated to have cost $300 million, was temporarily off the radar along with the support ship "Wingman" in the Caribbean. As reported by "Autoevolution," both ships turned off their "AIS" (Automatic Identification System), which tracks a ship worldwide and prevents collisions. Turning off the system doesn't come without consequences; insurance companies may refuse to pay if accidents happen with "invisible" ships. Ships above a certain size, like Zuckerberg's "Launchpad," are required by law to use the system.
It's possible that Zuckerberg needs the system turned off for security reasons while he's on the yacht.
Turning off the "AIS" addresses the problem of tracking through tracking services, but ships like Zuckerberg's "Launchpad" are hard to miss. It's nearly impossible to go unnoticed with a 118.80-meter-long yacht. So, following its route was still possible.
Mark Zuckerberg hangs out with a sheikh and Michael Jordan
Both ships have reappeared on the radar recently and moored at the "Club de Mar," a yacht harbor in Palma de Mallorca. As the "Mallorca Magazin" reports, the favorable island for Germans has just welcomed these ships for the first time. Photos from the harbor show that the "Launchpad" is anything but subtle.
Zuckerberg is currently enjoying some time with the rich and famous: Nearby are ships like "Yasmine of the Sea" from Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani, "Man of Steel" from Barry Zekelman, "Mbrace" from Michael Jordan, and the cruise ship "Seven Seas Voyager."
The Mediterranean is a beloved destination for the wealthy and their yachts during the summer months. It's a common practice to head to the Maldives or the Caribbean during the winter months.
*Note from the editor: In an earlier version of the article, it may have appeared that the "Launchpad" wasn't visible on the radar until it reached the harbor of Palma. In fact, the AIS was reactivated before the Atlantic crossing. The editor has the necessary records and has updated the article accordingly.
Read also:
- Despite his love for privacy, Mark Zuckerberg's yacht, "Launchpad," is a spectacle, drawing attention in Palma de Mallorca, Majorca, where it recently docked.
- Ellion Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Ellison aren't the only tech billionaires with impressive yachts; Mark Zuckerberg is also joining the club with his boat, "Launchpad."
- environmentally conscious Bill Gates, often seen as an environmental activist, seems to prefer a simpler lifestyle, choosing not to own a mega yacht like his tech contemporaries.
- In an attempt to protect his privacy, Mark Zuckerberg temporarily hid his yacht "Launchpad" and its support ship "Wingman" in the Caribbean, turning off their "AIS" to avoid tracking services.
- Michael Jordan, Barry Zekelman, and Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani are some of the wealthy individuals whose yachts can be found in the same harbor as Mark Zuckerberg's "Launchpad" in Palma de Mallorca.
- The cost of maintaining a yacht like Mark Zuckerberg's "Launchpad" or Bezos's "Koru" or Ellison's "Musashi" can be substantial, typically requiring millions of US dollars annually.
