Tragedy struck on Saturday through a plane crash that killed billionaire owner and chairman of Leicester city football club, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, died after his helicopter crashed and burst into flames yards away from the King Power Stadium after taking off from the pitch, on Saturday night.
Srivaddhanaprabha was reportedly heading for Luton Airport where he was due to catch a flight to Thailand before his helicopter crashed.
Tributes have continued to flow from both his native Thailand and the UK, where he has been credited for his “awareness of his club’s emotional and civic significance.”
Other people on board were pilot Eric Swaffer, Izabela Lechowicz, also a pilot, and two members of Vichai’s staff, Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare.
Vichai’s ownership of the club was a source of great national pride in Thailand, especially after their league win in 2016. The Football Association of Thailandreleased a statement expressing “profound sadness” for the “sudden and tragic passing” of Vichai.
Witnesses say they heard the ‘engine stop’ in mid-air just after take-off before the aircraft plummeted to the ground in the club’s car park at around 8.30pm on Saturday.
Below is statement from his club
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