Czech billionaire Petr Kellner dies in helicopter accident

Czech billionaire Petr Kellner, owner of investment group PPF, has died in a helicopter accident in Alaska, the New York Times reported on Monday. The news has been confirmed by a PPF spokesman. The accident, which reportedly took place during a backcountry heli-skiing trip, left five people dead. A sixth person was in a serious but stable condition and has been transported to a hospital in the Anchorage area.

Mr. Kellner, who was 56, has topped the list of richest Czechs for years. In 2020, Forbes placed him among the 70 richest people in the world, with assets estimated at CZK 293 billion. Mr. Kellner made his fortune selling office supplies and subsequently buying a stake in the nation’s largest insurance company. Last year, he took over the country’s most popular TV station, Nova, purchasing its operator CME.