RSG Group said its CEO and entrepreneur Rainer Schaller may have died in a plane crash near Costa Rica over the weekend.
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“We can confirm that Reiner Schaller, his family and two others were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. As the situation is currently under investigation at the scene, we are unable to comment further at this time. will,” the company wrote.
Schaller, who founded a company that runs global brands including McFit gym and Gold’s Gym, was on a list of people on the plane whose body was found near Limon, Costa Rica, The Associated Press reported. reported on Sunday. .
The list also included “Christian Sikorsky”, the name of Schaller’s girlfriend. It is revealed that she likely was on board as well.
Costa Rican authorities have so far said they have found the bodies of two people, an adult and a child, as well as luggage and debris from the plane. A plane that may have carried the Schaller became unavailable on Friday.
“We arrived at Limon airport from Mexico around 6pm and received a warning about a flight with five German passengers,” said Security Minister Jorge Torres.
Limon is located on the east coast of Costa Rica near the Caribbean Sea.
Torres added that authorities were searching for bodies off the coast of the country and believed that everyone on the plane was a German citizen, but bad weather temporarily delayed the search.
What is Reiner Schaller?
Reiner Schaller founded the first McFit gym in 1997 in Bavaria, Germany. He continued to open bases in Germany, and by 2006, according to the company’s website, across bases he had over 400,000 members. He acquired competitors and began expanding internationally, adding different types and brands of gyms.
In 2020, the parent company changed its name to RSG Group and acquired Gold’s Gym.
It currently has 21 brands, including brands focused on creative management and design, and 41,000 employees, according to the company.
Schaller is the company’s owner, CEO, and founder, according to the company’s website.
“We are shocked, stunned and heartbroken by this tragic accident. The news of the past few days has deeply moved us. Our thoughts are with the families during this difficult time. with us,” the company added.