Who were Liron Petrushka and Naomi? Israeli tech entrepreneur couple killed in California plane crash

Two people were killed after a single-engine airplane crashed amid a snowstorm in California. While the US authorities are yet to determine the cause of the crash, they identified the deceased as Israeli high-tech entrepreneur couple –Liron Petrushka and his wife Naomi.

The Socata TBM9 crashed on Saturday near a railway station while en route to the Truckee Tahoe Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation into the incident.

Following the crash, the Truckee Police Department in a post on Facebook said that cops and fire personnel are present on the spot on the plane crash near the area of Glenshire Drive and Olympic Blvd.

They warned locals that “there will be a heavy presence of emergency responders in the area for an extended period of time.”

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Who were Liron Petrushka and his wife Naomi?

Liron Petrushka, 57, and his wife Naomi, 58, were renowned Israeli tech investors who had been residing in California for the past few years. They were survived by their three children, NY POST reported.

The couple made nearly $200 million when they sold their firm CommerceBid in 1999. However, they both stayed on board and provided assistance to the company that bought CommerceBid.

Later, they made an investment in Check, which was sold in 2014 for about $360 million to the US financial behemoth Intuit.

As per Ctech, the Petrushkas have additionally contributed to the VC firm UpWest, which is an entity that finances companies led by Israelis in both Israel and the US.

Before embarking on an extraordinary career as an investor, Liron Petrushka began his career as an Israeli soccer player for Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim.

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Condolences pour in

In a statement, UpWest, the Silicon Valley firm, said it was “devastated” by the Israeli couple’s sudden demise. “Our hearts are with the Petrushka family and their sons David, Scott, and Jordan,” it said.

Meanwhile, Hapoel Ramat Gan Givatayim, Liron’s former soccer club, paid tribute to the pair, saying it “bows its head” for Liron and Naomi.

“May they find peace in rest. Liron’s absence will be deeply felt, and he will be sorely missed,” said Salespeak CEO in a tweet.