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Leicester City owner 'was on-board' helicopter that crashed outside club stadium

Sources say the owner of Leicester City was on-board a helicopter that crashed outside the footba...
Newstalk
Newstalk

00.23 28 Oct 2018


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Leicester City owner '...

Leicester City owner 'was on-board' helicopter that crashed outside club stadium

Newstalk
Newstalk

00.23 28 Oct 2018


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Sources say the owner of Leicester City was on-board a helicopter that crashed outside the football club's stadium in England.

Witnesses said the aircraft spiralled then crashed to the ground in a huge fireball in car park E - the club's staff car park which is about 200 metres from the stadium.

The helicopter had taken off from the pitch seconds before at about 8.30pm.

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The club's Thai billionaire owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was on-board according to sources.

He was at the game, which had finished an hour and 15 minutes earlier, and he was among five people on-board.

Fans who were still leaving the stadium after Leicester City drew 1-1 with West Ham were seen running away as the helicopter came down and burst into flames.

File photo of a helicopter belonging to Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha | Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire/PA Images

The stadium was evacuated soon after the crash and the area around it was closed off.

West Ham's team bus had already left but some Leicester players were still inside the stadium.

A man, who wished to not be named, but has held a season ticket for more than four decades, said he saw goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel running out of the stadium seconds after the crash before "loads of security guards and stewards".

"I was stood outside the ground but it crashed on the other side," he said.

"I hope everyone is okay."

It has not been confirmed how many people were in the helicopter or how serious their injuries are, and it is not clear whether anyone on the ground was affected.

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

A person leaves a tribute outside Leicester City Foootbal Club | Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire/PA Images

Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett, at the scene, said: "At about 8.30 this evening, eyewitnesses told me they saw the Leicester City owner's helicopter take off from the pitch inside the King Power Stadium - as it does after every home game - and after a few seconds it appeared to lose control.

"It sounds as if there was a problem with the rear tail propeller which sent it spinning out of control and it crashed into the car park at the rear of the King Power Stadium, just a few hundred metres away from where the pitch is, before it burst into flames."

After every home game about 20 dignitaries are taken away from the stadium in the helicopter.

East Midlands Ambulance Service said it sent a doctor, ambulance and team of paramedics alongside a hazardous area response team to the car park.


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