Tributes come as investigation into 2018 Leicester City helicopter crash begins

Tributes have been paid to five people who died in a helicopter crash outside Leicester City’s King Power stadium, as an inquest into their deaths is launched more than six years later.

Fox president Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died along with his traveling companions Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his companion Izabela Roza Lechowicz on October 27, 2018.

An inquest has begun at Leicester City Council, which is expected to last between two and three weeks, with a jury to determine who the deceased were, and when, where and how they died.

In a pencil portrait tribute to Mr. Vichai, his family described him as someone with boundless energy and an instinctive entrepreneur.

In the tribute, read in court by family lawyer Philip Shepherd KC, relatives said: “Khun Vichai was the leader of our family, a loving and devoted husband, father, uncle and grandfather.

“Today we feel his loss more than ever. He was a good man with a good heart. He was a great inspiration to all of us and we all loved him very much.

“It is impossible to put Khun Vichai into words. He possessed all the best qualities. He was adored by all for his kind spirit, generosity, charm, sense of humor and intellect.”

The written portrait ended with a video presentation on a giant pitch screen, praising his role in reviving Leicester City’s fortunes, including that of the club. against all odds Premier League title won in 2016.

The second tribute described Swaffer, 53, as someone who loved aviation and had a “wicked sense of humor.”

It was read to the jury by his partner’s sister, Mrs Lechowicz, 46, a fellow pilot who also died in the crash.

Of Mr. Swaffer, Kate Lechowicz said: “He was great company. He had a deep love of aviation, technology, travel, his motorcycle and life in general.

“There was nothing he hadn’t done. He excelled in everything he did.”

Remembering her sister, Lechowicz said her “warm, loving and hard-working” sister was an “extraordinary individual.”

“She radiated a passion for life, but above all she was a dedicated pilot,” Lechowicz added.

“He had extensive experience flying worldwide. He was the type of person who accomplished his task with grace and efficiency.”

Around 1,000 people from around the world attended a memorial service for the couple, from Surrey, in 2018.

The service had to be moved to Guildford Cathedral from the couple’s local church in Camberley to accommodate everyone.

Tributes were also paid to Kaveporn Punpare, who had a young daughter and was one of several butlers employed by Vichai.

A statement from his wife said he initially worked as an assistant butler, accompanying family members on trips, but was promoted in 2015.

She said her family would love and miss her husband every day.

Former Miss Thailand contestant Nusara Suknamai was described as a “pillar” of her family.

In a statement, they said: “This is the greatest loss for the family. We will never forget it.”

Footage, filmed by an amateur from the side of the pitch, was played during the investigation showing the Leonardo AW169 helicopter taking off at 20:37 BST, before turning and disappearing from view behind a stand.

Mark Jarvis, senior inspector at the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), gave evidence at the inquest, initially to set the scene and provide basic facts.

He said the helicopter was manufactured in 2016 and received an airworthiness certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which would not need to be reviewed for another three years.

Jarvis explained that the damage caused by the accident punctured the fuel tank and there was a leak.

“A fire started very quickly and progressed to consume the entire helicopter,” Jarvis added.

The jury was shown footage from two police officers and CCTV cameras from the scene.

The two officers were driving nearby, had recently been released from duty and were at the scene one minute after the crash, according to the investigation.

Because the helicopter had stopped on its left side, Jarvis said none of the side doors, one situated about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) off the ground and the other against the ground, were accessible. floor.

One of the police officers tried to break the helicopter’s windshield with his baton, but Jarvis explained that specialized equipment would have been needed to break the glass, which is designed to withstand the impact of a 1kg bird traveling at 289 km/h. . .

A report from the AAIB, published in September 2023He deemed the crash “inevitable” after a sequence of mechanical failures, and said the pilot could have done “very little” to save everyone on board.