Amazon's Jeff Bezos falls ill, airlifted from Galapagos Islands

SEATTLE, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was evacuated from the Galapagos Islands after being stricken by kidney stones, the Ecuadorean navy said.

The navy said in a release Bezos was flown by helicopter to Baltra Island where he was transferred to a private plane that took him to the United States for emergency surgery, ABC News reported. But an Amazon spokesman later told CNN no surgery was required.

"He got a good outcome. No surgery was required, and he's feeling well," CNN quoted Amazon spokesman Drew Herdener as saying Saturday.

In response to the ABC's inquiry about Bezos' condition Saturday night, a representative for the Seattle-based online shopping site replied in an email, "I sent the inquiry to Jeff and here's what he sent back: 'Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars.'"

CNN reported an Ecuadorean navy spokesman, Lt. Pablo Abarca, said Bezos, 49, developed renal colic while on a cruise near Santa Cruz Island and was flown to Baltra Island on New Year's Day.