Blazer Paul.JPG

Paul Allen, owner of the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, shown in this file photo.

(Thomas Boyd, The Oregonian)

UPDATE: Vulcan Inc. has issued an updated statement in regards to the incident.

We’re deeply committed to ocean health. Tatoosh acted responsibly, cooperating w/ officials https://t.co/BU671EWGur pic.twitter.com/doRpuasGY4 — Vulcan Inc. (@VulcanInc) January 27, 2016



Original post:



Paul Allen's massive yacht has allegedly damaged protected coral reef in the Cayman Islands, according to media reports.

Allen, Microsoft co-founder and the owner of the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers, counts a 303-foot-long Tatoosh yacht among his toys. The Washington Post, citing the Cayman News Service, reported Wednesday that the yacht's anchor chain allegedly destroyed nearly 14,000-square-feet of coral reef.

FILE -- Tatoosh, Paul Allen's 303-foot yacht, is pictured in a file photo from 2003 when it was docked in Portland. The Tatoosh carries a 30-person crew, two helipads, a swimming pool, a spa, a private movie theater, six other surface boats and a submarine.

However, Allen's Vulcan Inc. issued a statement saying that local authorities had directed the yacht to anchor in a specific area, and that crew willingly moved the ship when alerted that there may be an issue, according to the Washington Post.

It's unclear if Allen was aboard the yacht when the damage happened.

Read the full story here.

--Laura Frazier

lfrazier@oregonian.com

503-294-4035

@frazier_laura