Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is going through a difficult time after his parents were involved in a tragic boating accident this weekend.
His mother, Bonnie Horowitz Kalanick, lost her life in the accident, while his father, Donald Kalanick, is injured. The boating accident occurred at Pine Flat Lake, near Fresno.
More details about the devastating boating accident surfaced from the Fresno Sheriff's Department. The coroner's office identified the deceased victim as Kalanick's mother and will perform an autopsy on Monday. For now, the Fresno Sheriff's Department says the investigation is ongoing and it will release more details as they become available.
"Last night Travis and his family suffered an unspeakable tragedy," confirmed an Uber spokesperson. "His mother passed away in a devastating boating accident near Fresno and his father is in serious condition. Our thoughts and prayers are with Travis and his family in this heartbreaking time."
In an internal email sent to employees and obtained by Business Insider, Uber noted that Donald Kalanick was in "serious condition."
What Happened?
The Fresno Sheriff's Department notes that dispatchers received a call just before 5 p.m. on Friday, May 26, alerting authorities of a boating accident at Pine Flat Lake. The caller reported that one person was injured, while another could be dead.
Deputies with the Sheriff's Office Boating Enforcement Unit were already on patrol and headed to the scene, while deputies flying in an Eagle One also headed to the area to help find the boat. They found a woman and a man on the shore. The woman had died in the accident, while the man had injuries and a Skylife helicopter transported him to Fresno's Community Regional Medical Center.
Speaking to the deputies, the survivor — later identified as Donald Kalanick — said the boat sank in the lake. According to a preliminary report, it seems the boat hit a rock and the couple aboard were injured in the collision.
Members of the Sheriff's Office Boating Enforcement Unit and Dive Team will return to the lake on Saturday morning to recover the boat and examine it to determine what caused the accident. The Sheriff's Office did not immediately reveal the identity of the victims, noting only that they were a couple in their 70s, but later confirmed that they were Travis Kalanick's parents. The couple had reportedly been going boating at Pine Flat Lake for years.
Kalanick and his parents reportedly had a close relationship and just earlier this month the Uber CEO shared a photo of them all together, at the Kentucky Derby.
Hello Louisville!! 1st derby with Mom and dad pic.twitter.com/GXl9HGawXk
— travis kalanick (@travisk) May 6, 2017
Safety Precautions For Water Activities
With summer just around the corner, the Fresno Sheriff's Office highlights a few essential precautions people should take to ensure they remain safe during water activities.
First of all, people are strongly encouraged to wear a life jacket. Secondly, inexperienced swimmers are advised not to stray too far from the shore. It's also best to not swim while inebriated, as alcohol causes swimmers to get tired faster than usual and can lead to dangerous situations. Parents, meanwhile, are advised to supervise their kids at all times. Lastly, it's highly recommended to ensure communication devices work properly.
