Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos suffered a kidney stone attack while in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands and had to be airlifted by an Ecuadorian navy helicopter to his personal jet, then flown to the US for surgery, according to ABC News. Bezos is said to have suffered the attack on January 1st aboard a cruise ship, according to local media outlet Galapagos Digital. The helicopter's pilot was quoted by another Spanish-language outlet, El Comercio, as saying he received messages of thanks from Bezo's family and business partners.
Ecuadorian Navy: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos airlifted from Galapagos Islands to personal plane for emergency kidney stone surgery in US.
— ABC Foreign Desk (@WorldNews) January 4, 2014
Bezos confirmed the incident today, with an Amazon spokesperson providing the following statement to The Verge: "I sent Jeff your note and here's what he sent back: 'Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars.'"