'OUR KING IS DEAD'
Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha killed in helicopter crash fireball along with hero pilot, his co-pilot girlfriend and a beauty queen
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A BEAUTY queen, a hero pilot and his co-pilot girlfriend died alongside the owner of Leicester City when a helicopter burst into flames shortly after taking off from the club's ground on Saturday.
Boss Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 61, died in the fireball outside the King Power Stadium that claimed the lives of all five on board.
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In a statement, Leicester City Football Club confirmed that no one survived the crash.
Hero pilot Eric Swaffer, 53, and his girlfriend Izabela Roza Lechowicz, 46, were among those killed.
Mr Swaffer is understood to have saved hundreds of lives by steering it away from fans and a hotel in a "dead man's curve".
Cameraman Dan Cox said: “The pilot was heroic. That helicopter could have crashed into the stadium, into the media compound where TV crews were packing up, or into the car park where I was.
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“He crashed in part of the grounds or car park where there wasn’t anyone. It could have been so much worse if the pilot hadn’t done that.”
His friend Lucie Morris-Marr told the SunOnline how the couple travelled the world, with Mr Swaffer often saying that working together was like being on a "permanent holiday".
She called Eric the "ultimate professional" and "one of the most joyful and funny people I’ve ever met".
Cops say Nusara Suknamai, a pal of billionaire Vichai and a runner-up in Miss Thailand Universe 2005, died in the crash. Glamorous Suknamai regularly posted images with top footballers at the club.
What we know so far:
- The helicopter came down in a car park behind the King Power Stadium following a Premier League game between Leicester and West Ham.
- Witnesses said the helicopter lost control within a few seconds and crashed into the club's staff car park.
- Leicester City owner Srivaddhanaprabha was confirmed to have died.
- Four other people were on board the helicopter, none of whom survived.
- Hero pilot Eric Swaffer died alongside his co-pilot girlfriend Izabela Roza Lechowicz.
- Beauty queen Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare also died.
- Leicester City described Mr Srivaddhanaprabha as "a great man".
- The Air Accident Investigation Branch is leading an investigation.
The fifth victim was the owner’s right-hand man Kaveporn Punpare, nicknamed Golf.
The football club described Srivaddhanaprabha who bought the club for £39million and led it to a first Premier League title in 2015-16 as a "great man".
Hundreds have laid floral tributes, with one footie fan saying "it feels like our king is dead".
An online book of condolence will be put on the club's website for supporters unable to visit the stadium to leave tributes.
Tuesday's first team fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup and the development squad fixture against Feyenoord in the Premier League International Cup has been postponed.
LEICESTER CITY FOOTBALL CLUB STATEMENT IN FULL
Leicester City Football Club confirming the death of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha: "It is with the deepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm our chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was among those to have tragically lost their lives on Saturday evening when a helicopter carrying him and four other people crashed outside King Power Stadium.
"None of the five people on-board survived.
"The primary thoughts of everyone at the club are with the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of all those on-board at this time of unspeakable loss.
"In Khun Vichai, the world has lost a great man. A man of kindness, of generosity and a man whose life was defined by the love he devoted to his family and those he so successfully led.
"Leicester City was a family under his leadership. It is as a family that we will grieve his passing and maintain the pursuit of a vision for the club that is now his legacy.
"A book of condolence, which will be shared with the Srivaddhanaprabha family, will be opened at King Power Stadium from 8am on Tuesday October 30 for supporters wishing to pay their respects.
"Supporters unable to visit King Power Stadium that wish to leave a message can do so through an online book of condolence, which will be made available via in due course.
"Both Tuesday's First Team fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup and the Development Squad fixture against Feyenoord in the Premier League International Cup have been postponed.
"Everyone at the Club has been truly touched by the remarkable response of the football family, whose thoughtful messages of support and solidarity have been deeply appreciated at this difficult time."
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Video of beauty queen Nusara Suknamai, who tragically died in Leicester helicopter crash
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Jake Humphrey and the BT Sport pundits discuss the Leicester City helicopter as it takes off behind them moments before crash
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Izabela came to the UK in 1997 after finishing a degree in Poland.
A neighbour of the couple in Camberley, Surrey, said Eric had texted them that evening but messages stopped around the time of the crash.
Sources say Nusara Suknamai, a pal of billionaire Vichai and a runner-up in Miss Thailand Universe 2005, died in the crash.
Tributes were paid to her on social media last night.
The fifth victim was the owner’s right-hand man Punpare, nicknamed Golf.
Vichai’s wife and four children are said to have been in Bangkok.
The helicopter took off from the halfway line just over an hour after the full-time whistle at 7.25pm on Saturday.
It was due to head to Luton Airport so Vichai could fly home to Thailand.
But witnesses said it was clear there was a problem with the tail rotor.
Mr Cox, who works for Sky, added: “I heard the helicopter come out of the stadium.
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Smoke rises at Leicester City's King Power Stadium carpark where club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter crashed moments after taking off
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Emergency services attend Helicopter crash outside Leicester City’s King Power Stadium
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“I looked up and it was just spinning in the same position, out of control. I’d never seen anything like it.
“Then, and I don’t know how, the pilot seemed to somehow slow down the spinning rotation and it just drifted off into that corner part of the car park. Two police officers in front of me also tried to help. They are heroes too.”
Aviation expert Philip Amadeus owns the Surrey firm that operated two helicopters on behalf of the club. Mr Amadeus sometimes piloted the craft and was regularly pictured with it.
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Witness describes the moment a helicopter belonging Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed in the King Power Stadium carpark moments after taking off
Yesterday he tweeted: “For all those that have been calling, it wasn’t me flying last night. Thinking of those that were #LCFC.”
Mr Amadeus was dubbed a hero after landing then-PM David Cameron’s helicopter after gear failure in 2010.
The firm’s website says its choppers have also been used in films and TV shows including Top Gear and The Apprentice.