OREANDA-NEWS. In Alaska, 56-year-old Czech billionaire Petr Kellner was killed in a helicopter crash, as Reuters reported, citing state military personnel.

Peter Kellner is the founder and main shareholder of PPF Group N.V. Forbes last year estimated his fortune at CZK 293 billion, or about $ 12.7 billion. According to the publication, he has been holding the lead among Czech dollar billionaires for thirty years.

The publication reports that the aircraft was carrying skiers. Five of those on board died, one managed to survive - doctors assess his condition as serious. The helicopter, according to preliminary data from Airbus AS350B3, crashed near the Knik glacier.

The bodies of the dead were found by the National Guard and volunteers from the rescue squad. The remains were transferred to a forensic medical examination.

According to the New York Times, the hotel that chartered the helicopter said Kellner was on board. In addition to him, another citizen of the Czech Republic Benjamin Laroche, two guides and a pilot, were killed.

After the incident, the authorities imposed a temporary ban on flights in the area of the glacier. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the causes of the crash.