The owner of Leicester City FC was among the five people killed in a helicopter crash.
The owner of Leicester City Football Club is among the five people killed in a helicopter crash outside the English club’s stadium yesterday night.
The club revealed in a statement that Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died when his helicopter crashed near the King Power Stadium. Four other people on board died as well.
Others killed in the helicopter crash included Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s staff members Nursara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punpare, as well as pilot Eric Swaffer and passenger Izabela Roza Lechowicz, according to Leicestershire Police.
After every Leicester home game, Mr Srivaddhanaprabha would leave the stadium by helicopter.
“It is with the deepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm our chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was among those tragically lost on Saturday evening when a helicopter carrying him and four other people crashed outside King Power Stadium,” the club said this evening. None of the five passengers survived.
“At this time of unspeakable loss, everyone at the club’s thoughts are with the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of everyone on board.”
The world has lost a great guy in Khun Vichai. A man of kindness and generosity, whose life was defined by his love for his family and those he so effectively led. Under his guidance, Leicester City became a family. “We will grieve his passing as a family while continuing to pursue a vision for the club that is now his legacy,” the club statement read.
A book of condolences, which will be shared with the Srivaddhanaprabha family, will be available at King Power Stadium beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, October 30.
“Supporters who are unable to visit King Power Stadium and would like to leave a message can do so via an online book of condolence, which will be made available via lcfc.com in due course.”
“Both Tuesday’s EFL Cup First Team match against Southampton and the Premier League International Cup Development Squad match against Feyenoord 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.”
Leicester police have said that enquiries into the helicopter crash, which happened outside Leicester City’s King Power Stadium, are expected to continue over the coming days.
“Leicestershire Police, East Midlands Ambulance Service and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service all responded to the incident last night and enquiries continue at the scene today, led by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch,” they said.
Details of the crash remain unclear, but witnesses said the helicopter seemed to spiral out of control moments after it set off from the pitch.
It crashed into a car park at the stadium and was engulfed in flames shortly after 8.30pm yesterday.
Police said the Air Accident Investigation Branch would be leading the inquiry into the circumstances of the crash, adding that a cordon would remain in place while inspectors examined the scene.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, who owned the King Power company, bought Leicester in 2010 and then became chairman the following February.
As news of the crash quickly spread, players and pundits alike shared their horror at the events following the game between Leicester and West Ham.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy paid tribute in an Instagram post. He wrote: “Struggling to find the right words….but to me you are legend, an incredible man who had the biggest heart, the soul of Leicester City Football Club. Thank you for everything you did for me, my family and our club. I will truly miss you…. may you rest in peace…#theboss”.
Leicester captain Wes Morgan posted a statement on Twitter which read: “Absolutely heartbroken and devastated regarding the news of our chairman. A man that was loved and adored by everyone here at lcfc and someone who I personally had the upmost respect for.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the families of the other victims of this tragedy,” he added.
Leicester and England defender Harry Maguire wrote on Twitter: “Words can’t describe how I feel. A truly great, kind, loving man who will be missed so much by everyone. I will never forget the Chairman’s support, not only during my time @LCFC but also during the World Cup RIP”.
Leicester and England left-back Ben Chilwell also released a statement on Twitter, which read: “I can’t believe it, I am heartbroken to hear that no-one survived the crash yesterday. Vichai was one of the best people you could wish to meet, making you happy made him happy, he was always smiling and laughing.
“What he did for not just this football club but for Leicester as a city is incredible! He has bought us all together. So now we must stay together as a city and achieve what he knew we could!”
Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who scored the Foxes’ equaliser on Saturday, wrote on Twitter: “You were far too kind and supportive. Thank you for all you did for the club, for always encouraging the team and coming all the way to watch me play at the World Cup. Rest on sir”.
From humble beginnings to Premier League glory
When Thai self-made billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha completed a successful takeover at Leicester, you suspect delivering the Premier League title would not have been part of the business plan.
But his involvement in one of the most remarkable football stories of modern times endeared him to the fans – and the city – of Leicester.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, who died at the age of 60 in a helicopter crash following the Foxes’ home game against West Ham on Saturday, was born Vichai Raksriaksorn in Bangkok on April 4, 1958.
From humble beginnings in a Thai-Chinese family, starting up a duty free shop in 1989, which eventually saw the King Power brand adorn airports across the country, he would go on to become Thailand’s fifth-richest man. His fortune is an estimated $4.9bn (US dollars) by Forbes.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s affiliation with the Foxes began as part of a shirt sponsorship deal, before brokering a £39m consortium takeover deal of the then Championship club during 2010 from Milan Mandaric.
Leicester won promotion back to the Premier League in 2014 – and with it secured the riches of modern-day football.
At the time, Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, who became chairman in February 2011, pledged a commitment of some £180m to break into the top five and the somewhat ambitious target of European football over the next three years.
The most ardent Leicester fan, though, could not have dreamed of what would happen next – even if taking on odds at 5,000-1.
Quoted by the Wall Street Journal when looking back on their unexpected success, his son, Aiyawatt, Leicester’s vice-chairman, said: “When we bought the team, we had so many plans.
“If you ask whether we believed the team would become the Premier League champion when we bought it, the truth is at that point we didn’t dare to think so.”
Claiming the 2015-16 Premier League title in a quite remarkable campaign, with Claudio Ranieri’s men maintaining consistency while their ‘bigger’ rivals all faltered, would bring the spotlight firmly on to the media-shy Thai tycoon – and find him a man not adverse to public displays of emotions or indeed generosity.
Ahead of the next campaign, which would see a first Champions League adventure, some 19 BMW i8s cars, costing a cool £100,000 each, were handed out to players as a mark of appreciation for their achievements.
Very much a family man, his son Aiyawatt was also known as “top” when in less formal surroundings at the club.
The blue helicopter taking them to and from the King Power Stadium was a regular feature – as has been free beer and donuts for Foxes fans at their home ground, while also regularly subsidising away travel.
In a 2016 interview with The Guardian, Foxes Trust chairman Ian Bason stated, “It would be difficult to criticize him at all.”
“Aside from what the club has accomplished, (the owners) have always listened to the fans.” Vichai has always honored the club’s history.”
Leicester shirts have become a sought-after item in Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s hometown, where King Power obtained the royal warrant from the King of Thailand in December 2009.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, a keen polo player who helped establish the Thailand Polo Association and owns the Bangkok VR Polo team, also completed the purchase of Belgian football team OH Leuven last year. Former Foxes manager Nigel Pearson presently manages the First Division B squad.
Voramas, Apichet, Arunroong, and Aiyawatt were their four children from their marriage to Aimon.
King Bhumibol gave the new surname Srivaddhanaprabha on the family in 2013.
It translates to ‘light of progressive glory’ in Thai, in honor of the company’s numerous corporate and social responsibility programs, which include education, charitable work, children’s health issues, sports, and Thai culture.
