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Uhoh! Microsoft Co-Founder's Yacht Destroys Protected Coral Reef

cayman island, coral reef, paul allen

Photo Credit: Leonardo Gonzalez/Shutterstock.com

According to The Guardian, a 300-foot yacht owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen drove into a sensitive reef in the Cayman Islands on January 14, 2016, destroying 80 percent of the protected coral. His investment firm Vulcan released a statement, assuring that when the “crew was alerted by a diver that her anchor chain may have impacted coral in the area, [they] promptly, and on their own accord, relocated their position to ensure the reef was protected.” The mistake could end up costing him up to $600,000 in fines, which we doubt will be a huge financial blow, as the man is estimated to be worth $17 billion. More than anything the incident is embarrassing, as Allen is a marine conservationist. 

This isn’t the only time a vessel has impacted the Cayman Islands negatively—last year a cruise ship destroyed a large portion of reef as well—we hope these incidents only lead to better prevention solutions.  

Mila Pantovich

An avid traveler, Mila Pantovich lives in the UK with her husband and cat. She has been working with JustLuxe as a writer and editor since 2012 and has been featured in several publications. Follow her travels on Instagram: @MilaPantovich ...(Read More)

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