Tributes pour in as Leicester City helicopter crash inquest 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 got under way more than six years later.

Foxes chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was killed alongside fellow passengers Kaveporn Punpare, Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz on 27 October 2018.

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

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

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

“We feel the loss of him as much today as we have ever done. He was a good man with a good heart. He was a great inspiration to us all, and we all loved him very much.

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

The pen portrait ended with a video presentation on a big screen in the court, hailing his role in reviving Leicester City’s fortunes, including the club’s against-the-odds Premier League title win in 2016.

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

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

Of Mr Swaffer, Kate Lechowicz said: “He was great company. He had profound love for aviation, technology, travel, his motorbike and life in general.

“There was nothing he had not tried his hand at. He excelled at everything he did.”

Remembering her sibling, Ms Lechowicz said her “warm, caring, hardworking” sister was an “extraordinary individual”.

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

“She had extensive global flying experience. She was the type of person who accomplished her task with grace and efficiency.”

About 1,000 people from across the globe attended a memorial service for the pair, 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 Mr Vichai.

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

She said her husband would be loved and missed by his family each and 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.”

Leicester City director of football Jon Rudkin also gave evidence to the inquest on Monday afternoon.

He said he walked Mr Vichai to the helicopter, which had landed in the stadium on the evening of the crash, before the chairman waved and gave a thumbs-up as he left in the aircraft.

Mr Rudkin said after the crash, he immediately tried to contact the chairman’s son, who was in Thailand.

He tearfully described the “remarkable impression [the chairman has] made – not only on the football club but on the city”.

“He helped achieve an impossible dream,” Mr Rudkin said. “That was Khun Vichai.”

Footage, filmed by a supporter from the side of the pitch, was played to the inquest, showing the Leonardo AW169 helicopter taking off at 20:37 BST, before going into a spin and disappearing from view behind a stand.

Mark Jarvis, principal inspector for 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 given a certificate of airworthiness by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which would not need to be reviewed for three years.

Mr Jarvis explained damage from the crash punctured the fuel tank and there was a leak.

“A fire started very rapidly and progressed to consume the whole helicopter,” Mr Jarvis added.

Bodyworn footage of two police officers and CCTV from the scene was shown to the jury.

The two officers happened to be driving nearby, having recently been released from duty, and were at the scene within a minute of the crash, the inquest heard.

Because the helicopter had come to rest on its left hand side, Mr Jarvis said neither side doors could be accessed, with one set about 2.5m (8.2ft) above the ground and the other against the floor.

One of the police officers attempted to break the helicopter’s windshield with his baton, but Mr Jarvis explained that it would have required specialist equipment to break the glass, which is designed to withstand the impact of a 1kg bird travelling at 180mph (289km/h).

An animation was shown to the jury, demonstrating how the helicopter’s tail rotor worked and was controlled using the pilot’s pedal.

Mr Jarvis explained his conclusions of how the tail rotor duplex bearing failed and caused the helicopter to enter an uncontrolled spin, with the help of another animation to demonstrate the mechanical elements to the jury.

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