Leicester City owner's devastated family break down in tears as they lay a wreath outside stadium where he was killed in helicopter crash alongside Thai beauty queen and three others
Title : Leicester City owner's devastated family break down in tears as they lay a wreath outside stadium where he was killed in helicopter crash alongside Thai beauty queen and three others
Link : Leicester City owner's devastated family break down in tears as they lay a wreath outside stadium where he was killed in helicopter crash alongside Thai beauty queen and three others
- Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's wife Aimon and his heir Aiyawatt flew from Thailand to visit King Power Stadium
- Mother and son sobbed as they walked through carpet of tributes to lay their wreath below his portrait
- Prince William and Gary Lineker have led tributes to duty free mogul, who died aged 60 on Saturday night
- Owner, 60, killed alongside two other staff: Beauty queen Nursara Suknamai and assistant Kaveporn Punpare
- Pilot Eric Swaffer and co-pilot Izabela Lechowicz were a couple and ensured crash was away from the crowds
- Air Accident Investigation Branch workers have found black box recorder and will move aircraft by Friday
- Thai owner made billions from duty free and took rank outsiders Leicester to Premier League triumph in 2016
- ***Are you in the area or did you witness the incident? Please email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk***
The bereft family of Leicester City's billionaire owner sobbed and clung to one another today as they came to the scene of the helicopter crash that killed him and four others.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's wife Aimon and his heir Aiyawatt, who regularly flew with him to and from games but were in Thailand on Saturday, laid a wreath outside the King Power Stadium.
Mother and son were in tears as they stood surrounded by the flowers, football shirts and scarves left by thousands of supporters at a growing shrine for the duty free mogul who died 48 hours ago.
Both cried as they walked carefully through the carpet of tributes before bowing and praying as they laid a giant wreath in front of a portrait of the 60-year-old billionaire.
The Leicester City first team arrived minutes later for a private religious service with the family - and emotional star players were seen hugging as they entered the King Power.
Earlier Prince William led the tributes to the 60-year-old businessman and said he was 'lucky to know him', adding: 'He was dedicated to his family and supported a number of important charitable causes. He made such a big contribution to football, not least through Leicester City's magical 2016 season that captured the imagination of the world'.
The billionaire perished with his assistant Kaveporn Punpare and Nursara Suknamai, a Thai beauty queen turned PA, when the aircraft spiralled into a 'dead man's curve' when its tail rotor apparently failed.
The AW169 AgustaWestland helicopter's hero pilot Eric Swaffer and his girlfriend co-pilot Izabela Lechowicz also died - but potentially saved hundreds of lives by crashing away from the crowds of fans who saw Leicester play West Ham.
Today the Air Accident Investigation Branch [AAIB] confirmed they have found the aircraft's black box recorder and will be forensically examining the wreckage and crash site before moving it to Farnborough, Hampshire, by Friday.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's son and heir Aiyawatt (right) and his mother Aimon (left) were among the mourners who flew to the Midlands from Thailand to lay a wreath outside the King Power StadiumAiyawatt laid a wreath and prayed for his father, who lost his life after watching his beloved Leicester play on Saturday night
Aiyawatt and his mother were in tears as they saw the tributes left by thousands of supporters in the 48 hours since the crash
The bereft wife and son of Leicester City's Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha walk carefully through the carpet of tributes to lay their own wreath today
Mother and son were not joined by Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's other son and two daughters. But Somyot Poompanmoung - President of the Thai FA, and his wife Potjaman came to pay tribute
Aiyawatt and Aimon Srivaddhanaprabha did not speak to fans but were clearly moved by the tributes to the husband and father
Today the scorched wreckage of the AW169 AgustaWestland was covered up as air accident investigators took over from police
Prince William has paid tribute Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, (pictured together in 2005) and said he was 'lucky' to known him before he died in Saturday's helicopter tragedyLeicester City's stars and football fans from all over country have been left grief-stricken after the aircraft fell from the sky outside the King Power Stadium at about 8.30pm on Saturday night.
The club's greatest player, Gary Lineker, also gave a tribute today and said Vichai was 'a quiet, unassuming man who will always be remembered with great fondness and respect'.
He added: 'He also helped to bring the most magical, miraculous title win in the history of football. Thank you, Chairman for all you did for our football club'.
Prime Minister Theresa May said: 'My thoughts are with those family, friends and supporters connected to the tragic crash outside Leicester City's stadium on Saturday night.
'The outpouring of grief is a testament to how many people's lives were touched by those on board.'
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, who bought the club for £39million in 2010 and led it to a first Premier League title in 2016, was described as a 'great man' of 'kindness' and 'generosity'.
Beauty queen Nursara Suknamai, his assistant Kaveporn Punpare and also pilot Eric Swaffer, who previously flew members of the Royal Family and pop stars including Sir Elton John, and his girlfriend and co-pilot Izabela Roza Lechowicz all perished alongside him.
Mr Swaffer is believed to have saved the lives of hundreds of fans by steering the doomed aircraft away from vulnerable fans on the ground.
Experts suspect the helicopter's tail rotor failed, sending the £6million AgustaWestland into a 'dead man's curve' that no pilot could handle.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter was heading for Luton Airport where he was due to catch a flight to Thailand on a journey he had embarked on dozens of times every year. 
Supporters are pictured paying tribute at Leicester City's King Power stadium today as they come to terms with the tragedy
Izabela Lechowicz and boyfriend Eric Swaffer pictured in the cockpit on a previous trip, and right on Saturday landing on the pitch before their crash minutes later, were heading for Luton Airport when they crashed
The couple were pictured on Saturday landing on the pitch before their crash minutes later
Kaveporn Punpare was an assistant to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and sadly perished in the doomed flight, alongside his colleague Nusara Suknamai, right, a former beauty queen who worked for the billionaire
The pilots managed to steer the aircraft away from cars despite the fact it was spinning out of control and smashed into the ground on an industrial estate (circled) away from huge crowds
The helicopter belonging to Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the King Power Stadium following Leicester's 1-1 draw with West Ham on Saturday and burst into a flames killing everyone on board
Gary Lineker has led the tributes to the Leicester owner, who donated millions to local charities as well as saving the club from financial peril
Leicester City director Supornthip Choungrangsee
'The helicopter almost hit me': Fan cheats death after she was nearly hit by falling debris
A woman claimed was nearly hit by the falling helicopter, a football man has said.
Leo Bruka (right) lives close to the stadium and witnessed the terrifying aftermath of the crash which killed club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
The 27-year-old, who is originally from Albania, was on his way home after shopping in the city centre when the lights from the stricken chopper caught his attention.
He said: 'I could hear the helicopter and saw it spinning for about 15 seconds before it hit the ground'.
Leo said the unnamed woman, who has not yet been identified, was brunette, of medium height and about 25.
He was stunned to witness the bravery of the police officers but devastated there was nothing they could do.
Leo added: 'I got really scared, the policeman were putting their lives at risk. I tried to get close but they told me to stay away, saying 'there is nothing we can do, it's impossible'.
'There was a police car close by, and I saw two policemen running to the helicopter.
'The first policeman tried to open the door to the helicopter but it was impossible. He was trying to break it while his colleague went to find a fire extinguisher. Then there was an explosion while both of them were trying to smash the door, and then there was a second explosion.
'There was a woman on the ground, she was screaming and sat down crying saying 'the helicopter almost hit me'.'
But 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.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said today it had recovered the digital flight data recorder from the helicopter and will start working on it today.
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter was often flown by Mr Swaffer, 53, who has posted pictures of the craft on social media.
He and his partner Izabela Lechowicz, 46 were from Camberley in Surrey and were part of the owner's family's close team.
Mr Swaffer was a close friend of Israeli illusionist Uri Geller, 71, who had known the pilot for years.
The £1.2million detached property in leafy Surrey where the couple lived was quiet today, with a black Mercedes parked in the drive.
Neighbours recalled a 'smiling, friendly' couple who were not often at home due to the pressure on their work schedules, which involved piloting helicopters for wealthy clients.
'I met them at Christmas drinks last year at a community event,' one neighbour, who asked not to be named, said.
'They were very lovely. A very nice couple. We didn't see them much because they were always travelling but it has come as a shock to everyone.'
Another neighbour added: 'They'd always smile and say hello and they both seemed very pleasant.'
Brighton College described former pupil Eric Swaffer - who was among those killed in the crash - as a 'kind and popular' student.
Head master Richard Cairns said: 'It is with great sadness that the school learnt today that one of our former pupils, Eric Swaffer, died at the weekend.
'Eric was at Brighton College from 1979 to 1983 and fell in love with flying when, as a schoolboy cadet, he visited a Royal Navy ship flight deck.
'His contemporaries and teachers remember him as a kind and popular boy. We send our deepest condolences to his family.'
Leicester City yesterday confirmed Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others were killed when the aircraft fell from the sky and burst into flames
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha's helicopter was flown by Eric Swaffer, 53 (pictured left with the Dalai Lama) who has posted pictures of the craft on social media. His partner, also on board the ill-fated aircraft was flight instructor Izabela Lechowicz, 46 (pictured right)
Nusara Suknamai, a former beauty queen who worked for the billionaire, was one of the members of staff who tragically perished on board.
Member of staff Nursara Suknamai was also last night confirmed dead in the fireball. She is a former Thai beauty queen who then worked for the duty free mogul
The doomed Leicester City helicopter pilot may have been become stuck in a 'dead man's curve' after the aircraft's tail rotor failed, experts suggested last night
The lead singer of rock band Kasabian has said the helicopter crash was 'like your worst nightmare'.
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha attends the Laureus King Power Polo Cup in Richmond in 2016 with Leicester City director Supornthip Choungrangsee
Leicester City fan Tom Meighan arrived at the King Power Stadium on Monday to lay down a tribute to the five people who were killed and said the death of the club's owner was like 'losing a member of your family'.
He said: 'The football world is numb, not just Leicester City. The whole world is in mourning. I can't really put it into words. It's just a horrible feeling and a horrible thing that's happened.'
'I was fortunate to meet him a few times because we've played at the stadium. He was a lovely guy and words can't really describe what has happened. I can't really think properly, it's just awful.
'He's part of the family now, I don't know how we are going to recover. But we're going to have to. We're going to have to be strong.'
He added: 'But it's just like your worst nightmare. It's like losing a member of your family. I never thought this would happen to Leicester City.'
Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was seen running towards the stricken helicopter seconds after it crashed and watched it explode and said last night: 'I cannot believe what I saw. It just doesn't seem real'.
In a message for the owner who signed him in 2011 he said: 'Never have I ever come across a man like you. You touched everyone. You changed football. Forever. You gave hope to everyone that the impossible was possible.
'It is difficult to put into words how much you have meant to this football club and to the city of Leicester. You cared so deeply for the entire community. Your endless contribution to Leicester's hospitals and charities will never be forgotten.
'When you signed me back in 2011 you said to me we would be in the Champions League within six years and we would do great things. You inspired me and I believed in you. You literally made my dreams come true'.
Leicester director of football Jon Rudkin also looked tearful as he supported Aiyawatt and they were regulars on the helicopter trips with his father
A giant carpet of flowers, cards, balloons, and football memorabilia is still spreading outside the stadium today
One fan leaves his shirt hanging on the crowd barriers in tribute to the beloved club owner who died on Saturday evening
'Foxes never quit. RIP Vichai': The Mills family dedicate their Leicester shirt to the perished owner with a determined tribute
'Been following LCFC since 1976. You made my dreams come true': Another committed fan pays tribute to their owner
'Thank you Vichai. Truely (sic) devastated you are gone, forever in the hearts of LCFC': Another touching tribute from a fan
A family look on among the vast array of flower tributes left for the owner across Sunday and Monday following his death
The scene of the crash has been sealed off by police officers with a sheet covering one end of the helicopter in the stadium's car park
Vichai with his sons Aiyawatt and Apichet (right) and his daughter Aroonroong, wife Aimon and daughter Voramas Srivaddhanaprabha (left, right to left)
A graphic shows the locations around the King Power Stadium which the crashed helicopter could have threatened
Rebekah Vardy posted this tribute on social media and shared a picture of herself with Jamie on their wedding day with the Leicester owner and his son
Vichai's daughter, Voramas Srivaddhanaprabha (right) is the senior creative and communication manager of the King Power Group and was not on board at the time of the crash
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha waves to fans after a Premier League clash between Leicester City and Southampton in April 2016
The owner's family often watch the football games together. (From L-R) Leicester City Executive Director Apichet Srivaddhanaprabha, Arunrung, Voramas, Mrs Aimon Srivaddhanaprabha, Leciester City Director of Football Jon Rudkin, Leciester City Vice-Chairman Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and Leicester City Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Ex-beauty queen Nursara Suknamai also died at the scene. She came second in Miss Universe Thailand 2005 and an added Miss Photogenic accolade in the Bangkok-based contest the same year.
Yesterday Premier league matches took place across the country as fans fell silent in solidarity with Leicester, whose fans gathered to lay flowers at the King Power Stadium.
Supporters branded it Leicester's 'darkest day', paying tribute to the much-loved owner who helped them to a miracle Premier League victory in 2016.
At Premier League fixtures there was a minute's applause held at Crystal Palace in solidarity with Leicester, and a minute's silence at Manchester United and Burnley followed.
Outside the King Power Stadium a sea of flowers and blue football scarves has grown.
Karen Kennell, 60, a primary school teacher from Leicester, said: 'I was at the game yesterday and I was at home when I heard the news just after half past eight.
'He's contributed so much to the club and the city, when he first came they were in dire straits and he brought them back up to what they are today.
'Not so long I managed to shake his hand, he and the other members of the management team were in the club shop just shaking hands with people, that was just something that they did - it's so so sad.'
Manny Griffin, 50, said: 'We were devastated. It's true he has done so much for the city - he was such a unique owner, really close to the fans. 'All the fans will be mourning, I hope his legacy will continue. That would be great for him.'
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel posted a heartbreaking tribute on Twitter, and said he was 'devastated' and heartbroken.
In part of the tribute, referring to the owner he said: 'Never have I ever come across a man like you. So hard working, so dedicated so passionate, so kind and so generous in the extreme. You had time for everyone.
'You touched everyone. It didn't matter who it was, you had time for them. I always admired you as a leader, as a father, and as a man.'
Following the evening kick-off game on Saturday, the helicopter was seen landing on the centre circle of the pitch
The helicopter took off from the centre circle of the pitch with stadium staff and pundits looking on - but moments later it began to spin out of control in the air
The helicopter of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha lands on the pitch at the end of the game before making its final journey
Huge plumes of smoke billowed across the night's sky following the crash at around 8.30pm on Saturday evening In the aftermath of the crash on Saturday night a police officer rushed towards the wreckage of the helicopter belonging to the Leicester City owner.
The unnamed officer attempted to pull open the door, to save those inside, before an 'explosion' turned the wreckage into a fireball and forced the Leicestershire officer back.
Local fan Leo Brooker told BBC Radio 5 Live: 'One of them was looking for something, I don't know what he was looking for inside the car something to prevent the fire, I don't know.
'And the other man, the other one, he run straight away to the helicopter and he was trying to break the window of the helicopter with, I don't know what he had in his hand, a big metal or... I couldn't see 'cause it was too dark.
'But one of the policemen was trying to break the window and trying to get in and the other one was inside the car looking for something and then the next minute I see the police officer he had a fire extinguisher trying to prevent the fire and i don't know even I was still scared.
'And then this was all going on five to 10 seconds and then there was an explosion and even the policeman and all the three or four other guys that were trying to help but they just pulled back because the fire was going too hot.' Former England legend Peter Shilton and his wife witnessed the carnage unfold.
His partner Stephanie, 50, said: 'We are both in shock on our way home. It happened straight in front of us as we were leaving the ground.
'We don't know what has happened. It's horrendous. We need to know if everyone is OK. That's the biggest thing. We just hope that everyone got out OK.'
Mr Srivaddhanaprabha made his money in retail in Thailand and his King Power duty-free shops are in every airport in the Asian country.
His departure leaving the King Power by helicopter has become a familiar sight and was one of the symbols of the club's extraordinary run to the title in 2016, a year after narrowly escaping relegation.
The chairman's son, Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddanaprabha, also the club's vice chairman, has made his way to the UK from Thailand.
His eldest daughter, Voramas, 36, works for King Power and had studied at a London university. Another of the chairman's children, Leicester's vice-chairman Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddanaprabha, was not involved in the accident, it was claimed today.
Born in Bangkok on April 4, 1958 to a Thai Chinese family, Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester City in August 2010 and was named chairman in February 2011.
The Thai billionaire Srivaddhanaprabha kick-started his business journey by opening a duty free shop back in Bangkok in 1989 at the age of 31.
A descendant of Chinese immigrants, Vichai founded what became the King Power empire in 1989 with a store in Bangkok selling duty free goods and souvenirs.
Devastated fans have described how much the chairman means to them.
Unlike many foreign owners of English clubs seen as having little connection to local fans, the bespectacled Thai was known for his unerring common touch.
Fans were treated to a free beer to celebrate his birthday ahead of a match against Newcastle in April this year.
Season-ticket prices have been frozen for the past four seasons, while Srivaddhanaprabha also donated £2 million ($2.5 million) to help build a local children's hospital in the aftermath of the club's title triumph.
King Power, is now a staple of the country's airports and the brand also have the naming rights to Leicester City's stadium.
An ambulance and ambulance car was filmed driving slowly away from the King Power stadium shortly before 10.30pm. But police would not confirm if the bodies of the dead have been removed. To mark the team's illustrious title, in 2016, players were each given a BMW i8 sports car, worth more than £100,000, and invited to another big night out at a Leicester casino, where Srivaddhanaprabha reportedly hit one of his familiar lucky streaks, winning more than £2 million on the card tables in a few hours.
It was at least some payback for the £150m he's reputed to have put into the club, for which he paid £39m, spending freely on players, buying the Walkers stadium – to be renamed King Power – and wiping out its £103m debt in order to secure Leicester's future.
'We don't run the team in the hopes of making a big fortune from it. We just want to gain recognition of our brand,' said his son Aiyawatt, who looks after much of its day-to-day running.
'If you spend a hundred million dollars to buy a hotel, perhaps only 100 people recognise your brand. But buy a football team in England and suddenly the whole world becomes aware of King Power.'
Today, Leicester City is thought to be worth around £350m, almost ten times what he paid for it. In May 2017, Srivaddhanaprabha brought a second club, Belgian side OH Leuven.
Fans would also benefit from his largesse. Many was the time when the Leicester City faithful were handed vouchers entitling them to a free bag of doughnuts and a bottle of Singha Thai beer, or given heavily subsidised coach travel to away matches.
To mark his 60th birthday, sixty veteran supporters were told that this year's season ticket was on the house. In fact, season ticket prices for the last four seasons have remained frozen. On a more serious note, in 2016 he wrote a cheque for more than £2m to a local children's hospital.
These flamboyant gestures of generosity – a welcome contrast to the charmless zeal with which other overseas investors have corporatised top flight British football – explain the huge esteem in which Srivaddhanaprabha is held in the city of Leicester. Tearful fans converged on the stadium yesterday to leave flowers and other tributes.
His story began in April 1957, when he was born Vichai Rakriaksorn to wealthy Thai Chinese parents who sent him to study in both Taiwan and the United States.
He described his interest in the business of duty free as being a product of his jet-setting childhood. Many of his flights home would stop in Hong Kong. 'As I grew up I saw duty-free businesses from all over the world. I found it an interesting business ... so I said to myself I might be able to do it,' Vichai revealed in one of his few interviews.
He began as an agent for luxury brands before investing in a duty-free business in Hong Kong that he eventually acquired and renamed King Power in the late 1980s. It chuntered along for almost two decades, but suddenly hit the big time in 2006 after securing the exclusive rights to run duty-free stores in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, now the twelfth busiest in the world.
The controversial contract (its tendering process was widely criticised) was blessed by the Thai telecoms tycoon turned prime minister and former Manchester City owner, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Although Shinawatra was removed from power in a coup in September 2006, Srivaddhanaprabha businesses continued to thrive under the military junta that replaced him.
'Vichai has made his money by being close to politicians, that's how you have to do it,' a member of the Bangkok business community told the Guardian in 2016. 'Before that he was an average businessman.'
In addition to politicians, Srivaddhanaprabha also successfully courted Thailand's immensely powerful monarch. King Power was granted a royal warrant in 2009, and in 2012, he was by way of an honour given his surname, which literally means 'light of progressive glory'.
The firm has duly expanded to Cambodia, Macau and China, and diversified into restaurants, hotels and solar power. It also owns a £150m stake in Thailand's largest budget airline.
A longstanding Anglophile, Srivaddhanaprabha and his wife Aimon – who in recent years had to contend with rumours of her husband's alleged, fleeting dalliance with a glamorous Thai socialite who was made a director of Leicester City – were happily settled here. They chose to educate their three eldest children – Voramas, Apichet, nicknamed 'Tip', and Arunroong, who are all in their thirties – at boarding school in England. The youngest son, Aiywatt, 30, known as 'Top', was schooled in Bangkok.
Their connection to the UK lies not just in football, or the luxury properties the family owns (most of which are registered to holding companies in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands), but in the family's involvement in polo, which has brought an entrée into the British establishment, right up to the royal family.
For almost two decades, Srivaddhanaprabha has been one of the sport's most free-spending patrons. He singlehandedly introduced polo to Thailand, building a floodlit ground on the outskirts of Bangkok, and runs one of the world's most successful teams.
His involvement in the sport, which his sons also play almost full-time during football's off season, frequently saw him playing alongside Prince Charles.
He first met the heir to the throne in June 2005 at a charity match in Richmond, called the Chakravarty Cup, when they were on the same team, alongside Prince William.
Srivaddhanaprabha was also President of the exclusive Ham Polo Club in Richmond, Surrey, from 2008-12. Its chairman Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, a friend of the family, once told the Mail: '[Srivaddhanaprabha and his sons] are very pleasant to be with. Some people in our sport get very wound up and over-excited, whereas they are the sort who win or lose will say, 'Wasn't that fun'.
'They seem much more philosophical than others, whether that comes from their religion I don't know.'
In the last year, Srivaddhanaprabha had also started investing heavily in racehorses, spending around £15m on a British-trained string that now numbers about 60. Several were given football-themed names, including Fox Vardy and Fox Kasper – the latter named after Leicester's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Then there's a two-year-old, brought for £378,000, called Come On Leicester. Earlier this month it romped home in a six- furlong sprint at Leicester racecourse, a stone's throw from the King Power stadium. The winning odds were 9/4.
Sadly, for so many connected with this football club and this city, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's luck seems to have finally run out.
Leicester City owner's devastated family break down in tears as they lay a wreath outside stadium where he was killed in helicopter crash alongside Thai beauty queen and three others
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Leicester City owner's devastated family break down in tears as they lay a wreath outside stadium where he was killed in helicopter crash alongside Thai beauty queen and three others
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