Hours after billionaire Chinese businessman Kok Lam celebrated his HK$318 million purchase of Chateau de la Riviere vineyard — the largest Chinese investment in Bordeaux — Kok and his 12-year-old son crashed in a helicopter piloted by former owner James Gregoire.
In a bizarre twist of fate, the previous owner of the sprawling 65-hectare estate also died in a plane crash in 2002. Hours earlier, Kok Lam held a press conference celebrating the purchase with a toast, with Gregoire offering a helicopter flight to show Kok and his son their new estate.
Kok’s wife pulled out of the flight the last minute, saying that she is afraid of helicopters. The body of billionaire Kok’s young son was pulled from the back of the helicopter which crashed into the river, and the rest of the passengers — including Kok and his interpreter, are missing but feared dead.
Will this tragedy give pause to the superstitious Chinese from snapping up French wineries?
Source: SCMP
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
