0:59
- ABC News
- Royal Family
- October 29, 2018
Tributes pour in for soccer owner killed in crash
“He will be missed by all fans of the sport," William said of Leicester owner.
0:59
Prime Minister May echoed the prince’s sentiments.
“My thoughts are with those family, friends and supporters connected to the tragic crash outside Leicester City’s stadium on Saturday night,” she 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.
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) October 29, 2018
Both Srivaddhanaprabha's son and wife left a wreath for Vichai, a Thai billionaire, and the other victims at the club's stadium on Monday.
A number of Leicester City’s current playing staff, including Ben Chilwell, Jamie Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel, have also expressed their shock over social media.
???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/hFfu6Nm1nK
— Ben Chilwell (@BenChilwell) October 28, 2018
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… https://t.co/FzTaXVejUg
— Jamie Vardy (@vardy7) October 28, 2018
— Kasper Schmeichel (@kschmeichel1) October 28, 2018
An investigation into the crash has been launched by the Air Accident Investigation Branch, police said. The inspectors will look into the flight data and engineering, operational and human factors that may have been involved in the incident, although their work may be made more difficult by a fire after the crash that damaged the helicopter’s in-flight recorder.
Though the details will not be officially known until that inquiry is complete, an eyewitness told Sky News that the accident could have been much worse were it not for the “heroic” actions of the pilot.
Sky Sports News cameraman Dan Cox was walking through the parking lot when he saw the helicopter overhead. He recalled that the aircraft was spinning and out of control.
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-gty-ml-181029_hpMain_4x3t_384.jpg\")
\"I don't know how the pilot did it, but he seemed to manage to slow down the spinning rotation and it drifted off into the corner part of the car park,” he said. “It could have been so much worse if the pilot hadn't done that.\"
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha made his fortune by founding duty-free empire King Power in Thailand in 1989. The company became the biggest duty-free retailer in the country, and at the time of his death he was Thailand’s fifth-richest man with a net worth of $4.9 billion, according to Forbes.
Srivaddhanaprabha became a much-loved figure in the Leicester community after buying the football club in 2010, according to the club’s website. The club were promoted to the Premier League in the 2013-14 season. It then miraculously won the Premier League in 2015-16, despite being 5000 to 1 outsiders, in one of the greatest underdog stories in soccer history.
Phil Holloway, the editor of Leicester Fan TV, told ABC News that “to say the fans of Leicester City are shattered is an understatement.\"
\"We had never dared to dream before Vichai took over our club,\" he said. \"He has been an inspiration to us all. He has transformed our club from a local sports team into a global brand.\"
![\"PHOTO:](\"http://a.abcnews.com/images/International/vichai-srivaddhanaprabha1-gty-ml-181029_hpEmbed_2x3_384.jpg\")
Supporters have been invited to pay their respects at the King Power stadium.
“The primary thoughts of everyone at the Club are with the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of all those on-board at this time of unspeakable loss,” the club said in a statement.
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