(KRON) – A Silicon Valley high-tech entrepreneur and the wife of a former Israeli professional soccer player died Saturday in a plane crash in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Liron Petrushka and his wife, Naomi Petrushka, died Saturday at 6:38 p.m. when the small plane they were traveling in crashed near Tahoe Truckee Airport.
The couple were well-known entrepreneurs and investors in Silicon Valley, according to the venture capital firm that invested in them. But Liron, who was piloting the plane at the time of the crash, played soccer professionally in Israel before becoming an entrepreneur.
A social media post from Liron's former team, Hapoel Ramat Gan Givataim FC, read: “The club's former player Liron Petroshka and his wife Naomi passed away tonight in a plane crash in the United States.” It's dark.
Club president Einav Hasanvard described Liron as a former player who had “grew up at the club since he was 10 years old”.
“The club bows its head at the news of the passing of Liron Petroshka and his wife,” Hasanwald said. According to the chairman, Liron played at all levels of the team, including senior level. He was also a member of the youth team that won the state cup.
“May his memory be a blessing!” said Hasanwald.
Founded in 1927, Hapoel Ramat Gan Givataim FC is headquartered in the Israeli city of Ramat Gan. The team currently plays in Liga Leumit, the second tier of professional soccer in Israel.
Liron was flying a single-engine TBM aircraft, N960LP, from Denver to California when it crashed in rough weather while attempting to land in Truckee, the Sacramento Bee reported.
