Sad As ; Leicester Owner Died In Helicopter Crash As Family Pays Tribute
A mechanical failure led to the fatal crash of a helicopter carrying Leicester City Football Club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others in October 2018, an inquest heard on its opening day at Leicester City Hall.
The tragedy unfolded shortly after the aircraft took off from the King Power Stadium following a match. Alongside Srivaddhanaprabha, pilot Eric Swaffer, his partner Izabela Lechowicz, and passengers Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare also lost their lives.
Mark Jarvis, principal inspector at the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, revealed that a duplex bearing on the helicopter’s tail rotor had “seized and locked,” leaving the pilot with limited control. “The helicopter was out of control,” Jarvis stated, commending the pilot for his efforts under “extremely disorientating conditions.”
“The pilot took every possible action to mitigate the situation,” Jarvis added, emphasizing that the crash was unavoidable due to the mechanical failure.
A family tribute read in court described Srivaddhanaprabha as “a good man with a good heart,” adding, “We miss him every day. The pain his death caused our family is immeasurable.”
The family also highlighted his pivotal role in Leicester City’s miraculous 2016 Premier League title win, a feat achieved despite 5,000/1 odds.
Catherine Mason, the coroner overseeing the inquest, reminded jurors that their role was solely to determine the circumstances of the deaths, not to assign criminal or civil liability. The hearing is expected to last two to three weeks.
Meanwhile, Srivaddhanaprabha’s family has filed a £2.15 billion ($2.63 billion) lawsuit against the helicopter’s manufacturer, marking what could become the largest fatal accident claim in UK history.
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Sad As ; Leicester Helicopter Crash As Family Pays Tribute
