Las Vegas Metro Police investigators work at the scene of a fatal crash Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, in Las Vegas. Police in Las Vegas say Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was involved in the fiery vehicle crash early Tuesday that left a woman dead and Ruggs and his female passenger injured. (AP Photo/Eric Jamison)
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the chairman of Leicester City, passed away on Saturday following a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium.
Srivaddhanaprabha’s helicopter took off from the middle of the stadium’s pitch, cleared the stands, and crashed seconds later—more than an hour after the team’s 1-1 tie with West Ham.
During matchdays, Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, would utilize the chopper to get from the stadium to London. Along with four other people, the club confirmed on Sunday that he was on board and did not survive the crash.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the chairman of Leicester City, passed away on Saturday following a helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium.
Srivaddhanaprabha’s helicopter took off from the middle of the stadium’s pitch, cleared the stands, and crashed seconds later—more than an hour after the team’s 1-1 tie with West Ham.
During matchdays, Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, would utilize the chopper to get from the stadium to London. Along with four other people, the club confirmed on Sunday that he was on board and did not survive the crash.
“The world has lost a magnificent guy in Khun Vichai. A man of compassion and kindness, whose life was characterized by the love he showed for his family and the people he so skillfully guided. In his hands, Leicester City was a family. We will mourn his loss together as a family and continue to work toward the goal he left behind for the Club.”
The development squad’s Premier League International Cup encounter against Feyenoord and Tuesday’s Carabao Cup meeting against Southampton were also postponed, according to a statement released by Leicester. The team said that throughout the next seven Carabao Cup games, players will wear black armbands as a sign of respect for those who passed away.
Two of the other victims, identified by Leicestershire Police on Sunday as being employed by Vichai, were Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare. The other victims were identified as pilot Eric Swaffer and passenger Izabela Roza Lechowicz. No other individuals are thought to have been injured, and the investigation into the cause of the crash is being headed by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which stated in a statement on Monday that the digital flight data recorder had been recovered from inside the helicopter, but had been exposed to extreme heat as a result of the post-accident fire.
“We expect to be here until the end of the week, at which point we will transport the wreckage to our specialist facilities for more detailed examination,” said the AAIB.
“In the meantime, we are still gathering evidence as part of our investigation.”
The Italian aerospace manufacturer Leonardo SpA, which made the helicopter, declared that it was prepared to assist with the probe.
It claimed to be the first accident involving an AW169 aircraft.
Fans knew Srivaddhanaprabha as a cheerful, kind man who gave away free beers and hot dogs on his birthday. He brought the team their magical Premier League victory in 2016 after purchasing Leicester in 2010 for an alleged £39 million ($50 million).
The business community recalls Vichai as the retail magnate who began with a single store and expanded Thailand’s enormous duty-free King Power chain.
Leicester, a city in the East Midlands where committed fans will always be thankful to Vichai for funding not just the team’s first Premier League title but also one of the most amazing tales in sports history, saw emotional scenes following the crash.
At the beginning of the 2015–16 season, Leicester had a 5,000–1 bet to win the Premier League, just two years after they had been promoted from England’s second-tier league. However, the Foxes had an incredible season after Vichai hired seasoned Italian manager Claudio Ranieri at the beginning of the league. They lost only three of their 38 games to win the title by a comfortable 10-point margin, ahead of far more illustrious rivals Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Although his public comments were restricted, Leicester’s ever-smiling chairman became a talisman of the campaign, watching on from his seat in the stadium at home games beside his son, Aiyawatt, the club’s vice chairman.
Vichai was regarded with the utmost respect by the Leicester supporters, in contrast to many foreign owners who have been looked with distrust by their club’s followers due to factors like a lack of respect for supporters or their club’s traditions. When their title was assured in a late-season game in 2015–16, they demonstrated it by having the 32,000-strong King Power Stadium crowd rise to offer their chairman a heartfelt and unplanned standing ovation.
On Sunday, hundreds of supporters honored Vichai outside the stadium by placing flowers, football shirts, and scarves next to a sizable picture of the Hindu deity Ganesh, which was also propped up among the flowers.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, said: “FIFA extends its deepest sympathies to their families and friends as well as to the many football fans for whom Vichai was an integral member of the Foxes family.” Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore made the following statement in a statement: “Vichai was a gentleman who graced the game with his civility and charm and we will miss him enormously.”
In a statement issued by Kensington Palace on Monday, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, paid respects to Srivaddhanaprabha. He said: “I was fortunate to have known Vichai for several years.
“He was a family-oriented businessman with high morals who also contributed to several significant humanitarian causes.
“He had a significant impact on football, not the least because of Leicester City’s incredible 2016 campaign that captivated the globe.
“He will be missed by all fans of the sport and everyone lucky enough to have known him.”
While tributes were still being left outside the stadium on Monday morning, Srivaddhanaprabha’s son and other family members were at the King Power.
