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Desperate search as private plane vanishes carrying millionaire Rainer Schaller & family while flying near Costa Rica | The Sun
A DESPERATE search is underway after a private jet with a German millionaire and his family on board vanished off the coast of Costa Rica.
McFit founder Rainer Schaller, 53, was reportedly on route from Mexico to Limón with his girlfriend, Christiane Schikorsky, and their kids Aaron and Finja on Friday night when their plane disappeared.
A man named Marcus Kurreck – thought to be a personal trainer – was also on board.
Costa Rica's public security minister, Jorge Torres, said the Piaggio 180 jet carrying the five German nationals vanished on its way to Juan Santamaría airport in the east of the country.
The plane reportedly lost contact with the airport's control tower at around 6pm while flying some 20 miles off the coast near the Parismina area.
A McFit spokeswoman later confirmed Schaller, the company's founder and CEO, and his family were on the plane.
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"We don't know anymore at the moment," Jeanine Minaty told BILD.
The private jet took off from Palenque in Mexico – a city popular for its archaeological ruins – two hours and 41 minutes before it lost contact with the control tower near Limón.
According to FlightRadar pulled by BILD, the plane was 69 metres above sea level flying at a speed of 274mph when it disappeared.
A frantic rescue operation was launched – but it was called off a few hours later due to bad weather.
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The search teams are expected to set off again on Saturday if the conditions improve.
Torres said: "The authorities activated the search protocols, but due to the bad weather this Friday night they suspended the actions and will resume them first thing Saturday morning with the participation of the National Coast Guard and the Air Surveillance Service."
Schaller founded the fitness chain McFit in 1996 and there are now more than 250 studios in Europe and 1.4 million members.
He hit the headlines in 2010 after 21 people died in a stampede at a festival he organised in the western German city of Duisburg.
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After the tragedy, Schaller said the festival would be permanently cancelled.
Schaller testified as a witness in court proceedings in 2018, accepted moral responsibility, but was not charged.
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