The Czech billionaire and media entrepreneur Petr Kellner has been killed in a helicopter crash in Alaska.
News of his death was confirmed to the Czech agency CTK by Jitka Tkadlecova, the spokesperson for PPF Group, of which Kellner was the majority owner.
His death has also been widely reported in the US media, including the New York Times.
PPF Group is a leading international investment group whose assets have since last year included CME, one of the largest and long-established commercial broadcasters in CEE, with a presence in five markets (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia).
It also owns the Czech incumbent telco O2 and Telenor’s former operations in the region.
Kellner was the richest man in the Czech Republic and according to Forbes worth $17.4 billion.