Leicester City Reacts To Owner, Srivaddhanaprabha's Death In Helicopter Crash

5 years ago

Leicester City Reacts To Owner, Srivaddhanaprabha's Death In Helicopter Crash

Leicester City have confirmed owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died after his helicopter crashed outside the King Power Stadium on Saturday night.

Srivaddhanaprabha was picked up on pitch as at around 8:30pm after Leicester's 1-1 draw against West Ham.

His helicopter didn't make it far and crashed into the car park outside of the stadium before bursting into flames.

And Leicester have released a statement confirming, owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha along four more people are dead.

But the club did not confirm the name of the passengers on board but Leicestershire Police have confirmed they were Srivaddhanaprabha’s staff members Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and passenger Izabela Roza Lechowicz.

Leicester's statement read: “It is with thedeepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm our Chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was among those to have tragically lost their lives onSaturday 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 sosuccessfully 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 30 October 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 lcfc.com in due course.

“Both Tuesday’s First-Team fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup andthe 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.”

Srivaddhanaprabha took over the club in 2010 and helped guide them to promotion to the Premier League in 2014.