Home UK Flowers, scarves and football shirts laid at Leicester City stadium after helicopter...

Flowers, scarves and football shirts laid at Leicester City stadium after helicopter crash

583
0

author image

Flowers and wreaths have been laid outside Leicester Citys King Power Stadium a day after the clubs owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was involved in a helicopter crash nearby.

Hundreds of people have visited the stadium today with well-wishes for the chairman, credited with being a key player in the clubs incredible 2016 Premier League win.

The air accident watchdog has launched an investigation after his helicopter spiralled out of control and crashed in a car park near the stadium a few hours after Leicester drew 1-1 with West Ham.

Tributes at Leicester City Foootbal Club following a helicopter used by club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, crashing into flames in a car park near the stadium shortly after 8.30pm on Saturday evening. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday October 28, 2018. See PA story POLICE Stadium. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Tributes at Leicester City Football Club included scarves, football shirts, wreaths and flowers (Picture: PA)

Witnesses said the helicopter plummeted to earth a few moments after it set off from the stadiums centre circle at about 8.30pm on Saturday.

There has so far been no official statement but sources have said Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, was among five people on board the helicopter at the time of the crash.

A view of the address in Greyhound Hill, Hendon, north London, where a 47-year-old man was fatally stabbed late on Friday night, 26 October. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday October 27, 2018. A 43-year old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder. See PA story POLICE Hendon. Photo credit should read: Joe Gammie/PA WireWoman charged with murder after man stabbed to death at home in London

He is known for arriving and leaving the stadium in his helicopter at home games.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The tragedy was described as the darkest day in the clubs history and mourners have been laying wreaths near the stadium since Sunday morning.

Former England and Leicester manager Sven-Goran Eriksson hailed very, very generous Mr Srivaddhanaprabha and the incredible impact he has had on the club.

Leicester City football fans pay their respects outside the football stadium, after the helicopter of the club owner Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed when leaving the ground on Saturday evening after the match, in Leicester, Britain, October 28, 2018. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

Leicester City football fans pay their respects outside the stadium as police investigations continue (Picture: Getty)

A man (L) adds flowers to a growing pile of tributes outside Leicester City Football Club's King Power Stadium in Leicester, eastern England, on October 28, 2018 after a helicopter belonging to the club's Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the stadium the night before. - Leicester City's charismatic Thai chairman was the subject of growing concerns on October 28 after a helicopter belonging to the billionaire crashed and burst into flames in the stadium carpark shortly after taking off from the club's pitch following the match against West Ham United on October 27. There was no confirmation whether London-based Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who frequently flies to and from Leicester's home games by helicopter, was on board the aircraft which appeared to develop mechanical problems. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

The helicopter belonging to the club owner crashed and burst into flames in the stadium car park shortly after taking off from the pitch (Picture: AFP/Getty)

epa07126501 People gather as flowers and tributes are placed outside the King Power stadium in Leicester, Britain, 28 October 2018. According to reports on 27 October 2018, a helicopter of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, has crashed and burst into flames outside King Power Stadium in Leicester after the Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and West Ham United. EPA/TIM KEETON

Children and parents went down to the stadium on Sunday (Picture: EPA)

epa07126437 Flower tributes, soft toys and scarves outside the King Power stadium in Leicester, Britain, 28 October 2018. According to reports on 27 October 2018, a helicopter of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, has crashed and burst into flames outside King Power Stadium in Leicester after the Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and West Ham United. EPA/TIM KEETON

There has been no official confirmation of who was on board the helicopter or the condition of those in the crash (Picture: EPA)

Mr Eriksson was the first manager to be hired by the Thai billionaire after he took charge of the club in 2010.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: Its frightening news.

I saw the news, of course, this morning and I still hope its not true and hes alive of course.

I knew the whole family and the father. When you know him, as I did, you knew hes a very, very generous man – to the players, the staff and people working for him – with the fans and the community.

Hes an extremely generous man.

Football scarves and shirts were places among the bouqets and candles as more and more football fans came to pay their respects.

Tributes at Leicester City Foootbal Club following a helicopter used by club owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, crashing into flames in a car park near the stadium shortly after 8.30pm on Saturday evening. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday October 28, 2018. See PA story POLICE Stadium. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Leicester Citys charismatic Thai chairman was well liked for his role in the clubs success and his charitable donations (Picture: PA)

A man adds a Leicester City scarf to floral tributes lined up outside Leicester City Football Club's King Power Stadium in Leicester, eastern England, on October 28, 2018 after a helicopter belonging to the club's Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the stadium the night before. - Leicester City's charismatic Thai chairman was the subject of growing concerns on October 28 after a helicopter belonging to the billionaire crashed and burst into flames in the stadium carpark shortly after taking off from the club's pitch following the match against West Ham United on October 27. There was no confirmation whether London-based Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who frequently flies to and from Leicester's home games by helicopter, was on board the aircraft which appeared to develop mechanical problems. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Emotions ran high outside the stadium on Sunday (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Flowers, candels and flags are left as tributes outside Leicester City Football Club's King Power Stadium in Leicester, eastern England, on October 28, 2018 after a helicopter belonging to the club's Thai chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha crashed outside the stadium the night before. - Leicester City's charismatic Thai chairman was the subject of growing concerns on October 28 after a helicopter belonging to the billionaire crashed and burst into flames in the stadium carpark shortly after taking off from the club's pitch following the match against West Ham United on October 27. There was no confirmation whether London-based Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who frequently flies to and from Leicester's home games by helicopter, was on board the aircraft which appeared to develop mechanical problems. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

Some mourners lit candles or left messages (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Flowers and tributes being left at the scene at the King Power Stadium in Leicester the morning after a helicopter crash 28/10/18. See SWNS copy SWMDCRASHThe owner of Leicester City was on the helicopter which crashed to the ground and burst into flames moments after taking off from the centre of the pitch on Saturday evening, sources have said. Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, his daughter, two pilots and a fifth person were leaving the stadium in the aircraft when it began to spin and crashed in the corner of a car park of the King Power Stadium, Reuters reports. The condition of those onboard, including Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, who has four children, it not yet known.

Scarves and shirts were among the tributes left (Picture: SWNS)

epa07126502 People gather as flowers are placed outside the King Power stadium in Leicester, Britain, 28 October 2018. According to reports on 27 October 2018, a helicopter of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, has crashed and burst into flames outside King Power Stadium in Leicester after the Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and West Ham United. EPA/TIM KEETON

People gather to look at the flowers placed outside the King Power stadium (Picture: EPA)

Messages from Leicester fans included In our thoughts!! and Thank you xx.

Advertisement

Advertisement

One fan left a card of a fox with their flowers which read: Thinking of you all.

Under the ownership of the self-made Thai billionaire, Leicester city rose out of the Championship and eventually won the Premier League for the first time in its history, defying odds of 5,000-1.

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha has also been praised for his charity work, donating £2 million towards a new childrens hospital.

Leicester police said that enquiries into the helicopter crash were 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.

As soon as we are able to confirm any further details around the incident, we will do so.

East Midlands Ambulance Service said the alarm was raised at 8.38pm and it sent a doctor, ambulance and team of paramedics alongside a hazardous area response team to the car park outside the stadium.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web
browser that
supports HTML5
video

epa07125845 (FILE) - Leicester City's owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (C) reacts after lifting the Premier League trophy after the English Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at the King Power Stadium Leicester in Leicester, Britain, 07 May 2016. According to reports on 27 October 2018, a helicopter of Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, has crashed and burst into flames outside King Power Stadium in Leicester after the Premier League soccer match between Leicester City and West Ham United. It is still unclear if Srivaddhanaprabha was onboard. EPA/PETER POWELL EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications *** Local Caption *** 52743251

Under his ownership, Leicester City rose out of the Championship and went on to win the Premier League for the first time in its history (Picture: EPA)

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 16 : Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha of Leicester City on the Leicester City Barclays Premier League Winners Bus Parade on May 16th, 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha on the Leicester City Barclays Premier League Winners Bus Parade on May 16, 2016 (Picture: Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

In this image made from video provided by Sky News, the site of a helicopter crash is seen near a carpark by the King Power stadium in Leicester, England, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. A helicopter belonging to Leicester City's owner ??? Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha ???crashed in flames in a carpark next to the soccer club's stadium shortly after it took off from the field following a Premier League game on Saturday night. (Sky News via AP)

The site of the helicopter crash is seen near a car park by the King Power stadium in Leicester (Picture: Sky News via AP)

It is not clear whether anyone on the ground was affected by the crash and it is not known what the condition of those on board is.

Advertisement

There are fears that the crash and resulting fireball could have left the pilot and passengers little chance of survival.

One witness told Sky News: I hope theyre okay. Doesnt seem like they have had much of a chance. Just burst into flames.

A Leicester City spokesman said: We are assisting Leicestershire Police and the Emergency Services in dealing with a major incident at King Power Stadium.

The Club will issue a more detailed statement once further information has been established.

More: UK

A Womens Championship clash between Leicester and Manchester United scheduled to be played at the King Power Stadium on Sunday was called off.

The ladies reserve league match against Derby was also postponed.

Advertisement

Advertisement

[contf]
[contfnew]

METRO

[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]

Previous articleSuper fit Army veteran paralysed after going for hike on holiday
Next article‘Leicester City fans love Vichai for his deeds, not his words’