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| Leicester City owner among five dead in helicopter crash | Leicester City owner among five dead in helicopter crash |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The owner of Leicester City FC died when his helicopter crashed outside the stadium, the club has confirmed. | The owner of Leicester City FC died when his helicopter crashed outside the stadium, the club has confirmed. |
| Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger were killed when the aircraft crashed at about 20:30 BST on Saturday. | Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger were killed when the aircraft crashed at about 20:30 BST on Saturday. |
| Witnesses said the helicopter just cleared the King Power Stadium before it spiralled out of control and crashed in a fireball. | Witnesses said the helicopter just cleared the King Power Stadium before it spiralled out of control and crashed in a fireball. |
| Thousands of bouquets and scarves have already been left outside the ground. | Thousands of bouquets and scarves have already been left outside the ground. |
| Leicestershire Police said it believed the dead to be: | Leicestershire Police said it believed the dead to be: |
| Mr Swaffer had over 20 years' flying experience as a private jet and helicopter pilot. | Mr Swaffer had over 20 years' flying experience as a private jet and helicopter pilot. |
| His career included flying helicopters for live media broadcasting including Channel 4's The Big Breakfast and the Virgin Radio traffic helicopter. | His career included flying helicopters for live media broadcasting including Channel 4's The Big Breakfast and the Virgin Radio traffic helicopter. |
| Mr Swaffer's friend Lucie Morris-Marr said he was a "veteran in the field" and would have done all he could to prevent lives being lost in the crash. | Mr Swaffer's friend Lucie Morris-Marr said he was a "veteran in the field" and would have done all he could to prevent lives being lost in the crash. |
| She added that he was a "funny and vivacious" man who was in an "aviation love story" with Ms Lechowicz. | She added that he was a "funny and vivacious" man who was in an "aviation love story" with Ms Lechowicz. |
| "Not many people get to work and travel with their soulmate, travelling the world going to glamorous places," she said. | "Not many people get to work and travel with their soulmate, travelling the world going to glamorous places," she said. |
| The couple were professional pilots who lived together in Camberley, Surrey. Ms Lechowicz moved to the UK from Poland in 1997. | The couple were professional pilots who lived together in Camberley, Surrey. Ms Lechowicz moved to the UK from Poland in 1997. |
| In a statement, the Polish embassy said: "With great sadness, we received the news about the death of Izabela Lechowicz in the Leicester catastrophe. | In a statement, the Polish embassy said: "With great sadness, we received the news about the death of Izabela Lechowicz in the Leicester catastrophe. |
| "She was a great pilot, winner of the #Polka100 contest. It contributed to the creation of a positive image of Poland in the UK." | "She was a great pilot, winner of the #Polka100 contest. It contributed to the creation of a positive image of Poland in the UK." |
| Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, who was married and had four children, bought Leicester City for £39m in 2010. | |
| Under his ownership the club won the Premier League in 2016, having started the season as 5,000/1 outsiders. | Under his ownership the club won the Premier League in 2016, having started the season as 5,000/1 outsiders. |
| In a statement, Leicester City said the club's thoughts were with "the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of all those on-board at this time of unspeakable loss". | In a statement, Leicester City said the club's thoughts were with "the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of all those on-board at this time of unspeakable loss". |
| The club described Mr Srivaddhanaprabha as "a man of kindness, of generosity and a man whose life was defined by the love he devoted to his family and those he so successfully led". | The club described Mr Srivaddhanaprabha as "a man of kindness, of generosity and a man whose life was defined by the love he devoted to his family and those he so successfully led". |
| "Leicester City was a family under his leadership. It is as a family that we will grieve his passing and maintain the pursuit of a vision for the club that is now his legacy," it added. | "Leicester City was a family under his leadership. It is as a family that we will grieve his passing and maintain the pursuit of a vision for the club that is now his legacy," it added. |
| A book of condolence will be opened at King Power Stadium from Tuesday morning. The team's next fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup, scheduled for Tuesday evening, has been postponed. | A book of condolence will be opened at King Power Stadium from Tuesday morning. The team's next fixture against Southampton in the EFL Cup, scheduled for Tuesday evening, has been postponed. |
| Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who witnesses said ran out of the stadium towards the crash scene, said Mr Srivaddhanaprabha had "changed football forever". | Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who witnesses said ran out of the stadium towards the crash scene, said Mr Srivaddhanaprabha had "changed football forever". |
| "I cannot believe this is happening. I am so totally devastated and heartbroken," he added. | "I cannot believe this is happening. I am so totally devastated and heartbroken," he added. |
| Club captain Wes Morgan tweeted: "Absolutely heartbroken and devastated regarding the news of our chairman. A man that was loved and adored by everyone here at lcfc." | Club captain Wes Morgan tweeted: "Absolutely heartbroken and devastated regarding the news of our chairman. A man that was loved and adored by everyone here at lcfc." |
| Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "Vichai was a gentleman who graced the game with his civility and charm and we will miss him enormously. | Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said: "Vichai was a gentleman who graced the game with his civility and charm and we will miss him enormously. |
| "His impact on Leicester - the football club and the city - will be remembered forever." | "His impact on Leicester - the football club and the city - will be remembered forever." |
| Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Swansea City were among the football clubs that passed on condolences to Leicester. | Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Milan, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Swansea City were among the football clubs that passed on condolences to Leicester. |
| The helicopter came down in a car park near the stadium just over an hour after Leicester had drawn 1-1 against West Ham United in the Premier League. | The helicopter came down in a car park near the stadium just over an hour after Leicester had drawn 1-1 against West Ham United in the Premier League. |
| Leicestershire Police confirmed no-one else had been injured and said the Air Accidents Investigation Branch had launched an investigation. | |
| Supt Steve Potter said: "Emergency services were immediately on scene when the crash happened, working to put out the fire and gain access to the helicopter in attempts to reach those inside. | Supt Steve Potter said: "Emergency services were immediately on scene when the crash happened, working to put out the fire and gain access to the helicopter in attempts to reach those inside. |
| "Despite those efforts, there were no survivors." | "Despite those efforts, there were no survivors." |
| Supt Potter said it was likely to take several days to complete the investigation at the crash site. | Supt Potter said it was likely to take several days to complete the investigation at the crash site. |
| Freelance photographer Ryan Brown, who was covering the game, saw the helicopter clear the King Power Stadium before it crashed. | Freelance photographer Ryan Brown, who was covering the game, saw the helicopter clear the King Power Stadium before it crashed. |
| He told BBC Radio Leicester: "The engine stopped and I turned round and it made a bit of a whirring noise, like a grinding noise. | He told BBC Radio Leicester: "The engine stopped and I turned round and it made a bit of a whirring noise, like a grinding noise. |
| "The helicopter just went silent, I turned round and it was just spinning, out of control. And then there was a big bang and then [a] big fireball." | "The helicopter just went silent, I turned round and it was just spinning, out of control. And then there was a big bang and then [a] big fireball." |