Billionaire Paul Allen working with authorities after yacht destroys reef

WEST BAY , Cayman Islands, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is working with authorities after his yacht destroyed a coral reef in the Cayman Islands.

The billionaire's Vulcan Inc. released a statement after the Cayman Department of Environment confirmed that an anchor chain from his 300-foot yacht, the M/V Tatoosh, destroyed 14,000 square feet of coral reef in the West Bay replenishment zone.

"On January 14, 2016, M/V Tatoosh was moored in a position explicitly directed by the local port authority," the statement read. "When its crew was alerted by a diver that her anchor chain may have impacted coral in the area, the crew promptly, and on their own accord, relocated their position to ensure the reef was protected."

Officials said the chain damaged 80 percent of the coral. Local authorities were investigating the damage caused with the cooperation of Vulcan and the ship's crew according to the statement.

"In addition to assessing the damage and determining the cause of this incident, we are also paying close attention to lessons learned so that we can more effectively prevent these accidents while still hosting visiting yachts," a spokesperson for the Department of Environment said.

In the past Allen has supported research designed to stabilize coral reefs and Vulcan's philanthropy division has engaged in projects to promote sustainable fishing and other marine research.

Allen and Vulcan could face a fine for the damage done to the reef. Carnival Cruise Line made a one-off donation after damaging a reef in 2014, while fellow cruise line Pullmantur was not fined after its anchor destroyed a reef in 2015.