Authorities are investigating the death of Foremost Group CEO Angela Chao in rural Texas

JOHNSON CITY, Texas – Blanco County authorities are investigating the death of Angela Chao, CEO of shipping company Foremost Group, who died Sunday after authorities were called to perform a water rescue on a private ranch, the sheriff's office said in a statement Thursday.

"EMS attempted emergency measures on her but she succumbed from being under the water," the brief statement said.

Chao is believed to have possibly drowned after her car entered a body of water on the property, a law enforcement official told USA TODAY's Austin American-Statesman, although the cause of her death has not been determined. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation have not been released.

The statement does not refer to a car accident but said "our preliminary investigation has determined this to be an unfortunate accident. The investigation is ongoing."

The statement also does not provide the address of the property where the incident happened. The Statesman has requested that information under the Texas Public Information Act, which requires the release of the address of an incident. A reporter who visited the Blanco County Sheriff's Office to request an interview was turned away.

Chao, who lived in Austin, was the youngest daughter of Foremost Group's founder and honorary chairman, Dr. James S.C. Chao, the sister of Elaine Chao, former Secretary of Transportation, and the sister-in-law of Senator Mitch McConnell.

Chao was married to James Breyer, an American venture capitalist and founder and CEO of Breyer Capital, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas. Breyer is also a minority owner of the Boston Celtics, according to Breyer Capital's website.

Blanco County, a mostly rural county in the Hill Country named after the Blanco River, is located about 30 miles west of Austin. The population in 2022 was about 12,400 people, according to the latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Angela Chao's legacy

Foremost Group issued a statement about Chao after her death, emphasizing her people-first mentality and how she placed special importance on the care and well-being of the crews on and off their ships.

"Angela Chao was a formidable executive and shipping industry leader, as well as a proud and loving daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother. She was also a precocious youngster, learning about the shipping industry at an early age as she lovingly followed her father around during 'Take Your Daughter to Work' days on his ships."

According to her website, Chao was a Harvard graduate, earning her undergraduate and an MBA from there.  She is also a published author on topics of economics, international trade and finance, and education.

Chao was one of six children. She served as the Foremost Group’s CEO since 2018 and was also involved in a number of organizations, holding board positions on the American Bureau of Shipping Council, Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors, and the Metropolitan Opera, among others.

She was a founding advisory council co-chair of the nonprofit The Asian American Foundation.

"Angela’s name in Chinese sounds like the characters for peace and prosperity. She certainly gave more than her share of both to this world,” her father said in a statement. "Her absence leaves a void not only in our hearts, but in the Asian-American community."

Contributing: USA TODAY reporter Julia Gomez

What happened? Angela Chao, CEO of Foremost Group and Mitch McConnell's sister-in-law, dies in car accident

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Angela Chao, CEO of Foremost Group, dies on private property in Texas