Microsoft co-founder and current Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks owner Paul Allen owns one of the largest yachts in the world. Known as the Tatoosh, Allen’s yacht is over 300 feet long, and although a boat that big is certainly luxurious, it can also cause massive damage if something goes wrong, which the billionaire is finding out first hand.
Allen is being accused of destroying almost 14,000 square feet of coral reef (which is essential for marine life as well as prevention of tropical storm damage) with his boat in the Cayman Islands, according to Yacht and Boating World. The accident is believed to have been caused by the boat’s chain.
Officials have yet to determine whether Allen was on the ship when the damage occurred, but his camp is placing the blame on the Port Authority, saying they followed instructions when mooring the yacht.
Cayman News Service reports that although fines can be doled out for damaging coral reef, the government has yet to collect on several incidents in recent years. Considering Allen is worth nearly $2 billion, though, you would think he could fork over a little bit to make up for the damage his boat caused – even if he’s trying to deflect blame elsewhere.
