The multi-millionaire gym owner who died with his family in a tragic private plane crash has been buried alongside his six-year-old son in their German home town.
McFit founder Rainer Schaller – reportedly worth EUR 250 million – his partner Christiane Schikorsky and their children Aaron and Finja died when their plane crashed off the coast of Costa Rica
Schaller, 53, and Aaron were buried in Schluesselfeld, Bavaria, at the family tomb, where his mother was buried in 2020.
Christiane, 44, and 14-year-old Finja have not yet been found following the 21st October crash but their names were also engraved on the tombstone, according to local media.
The date and exact location of the funeral service were reportedly kept secret, with a resident telling local media: “Not even the bells rang.”
Mayor Johannes Krapp, 49, told local media: “The brother called me and told me that a funeral service was taking place and that the two urns were being buried on a very small scale.”
Mayor Krapp, who said that only 20 people had been in attendance at the funeral, added: “I don’t know if they’re still looking for the other passengers. Christiane and Finja are also on the gravestone, but are not buried there at the moment.”
In addition to Schaller’s father and his brother, relatives of his partner Christiane were also apparently in attendance because there were wreaths for her and soft toys for Finja on the grave, according to local media.
There will reportedly be a public mourning ceremony in Berlin on 8th December.
McFit is the largest gym chain in Germany with 246 fitness centres and over 1.4 million members spanning Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland and Spain.
The Piaggio P.180 Avanti plane – reportedly built in 2009 – carrying Rainer, Christiane, Finja and Aaron, their 66-year-old Swiss pilot Rolf Lips and another German passenger named as Marcus Kurreck crashed into the Caribbean Sea near Limon in Costa Rica, while flying from Palenque in Mexico.
An unnamed acquaintance reportedly told local media that Schaller had been looking forward to seeing the penguins in Tierra del Fuego the most.
Two bodies were recovered from the crash. They were identified on 4th November as that of Rainer, who was reportedly worth EUR 250 million (GBP 216.6 million), and his son Aaron.
The family had reportedly been travelling around the Caribbean after Rainer Schaller took five weeks off work to spend time with his loved ones.
McFit had said in a statement on 4th November: “The last few days have left us shaken and affected.
“It is with great dismay that we have received the sad news that our founder Rainer Schaller and his son have been identified as having died in the Costa Rica plane crash.
“His partner, their daughter, one of our colleagues and the pilot, who were also on board, are still among the missing.
“At this difficult time, our heartfelt condolences go to the families of all those who lost their lives or are still missing in this accident.”
According to German media, two employees of US branches were able to identify Schaller, who was born in Bamberg and grew up in nearby Schluesselfeld. DNA tests were also carried out.
Several body parts were also reportedly pulled from the sea, suggesting that the impact had been violent.
