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Leicester City helicopter crash: Owner's wife and son visit stadium | Leicester City helicopter crash: Owner's wife and son visit stadium |
(35 minutes later) | |
The wife and son of Leicester City's owner have laid a wreath at the club's stadium after he was killed alongside four others in a helicopter crash. | The wife and son of Leicester City's owner have laid a wreath at the club's stadium after he was killed alongside four others in a helicopter crash. |
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, two members of staff, the pilot and a passenger, all died after the aircraft spiralled out of control outside the ground. | Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, two members of staff, the pilot and a passenger, all died after the aircraft spiralled out of control outside the ground. |
The club's first team and youth squad are also at the King Power Stadium. | The club's first team and youth squad are also at the King Power Stadium. |
A team investigating Saturday night's crash has recovered the aircraft's digital flight data recorder. | A team investigating Saturday night's crash has recovered the aircraft's digital flight data recorder. |
Leicestershire Police named the other people killed in the crash as Nursara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz. | Leicestershire Police named the other people killed in the crash as Nursara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz. |
The club chairman's wife Aimon and son Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha were joined at the ground by the president of the Thai FA, Somyot Poompanmoung and his wife, Potjaman Poompanmoung. | The club chairman's wife Aimon and son Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha were joined at the ground by the president of the Thai FA, Somyot Poompanmoung and his wife, Potjaman Poompanmoung. |
Manager Claude Puel joined his players, while vice-chairman Aiyawatt returned to see the tributes after arriving earlier in the morning when around 200 fans broke into spontaneous applause. | Manager Claude Puel joined his players, while vice-chairman Aiyawatt returned to see the tributes after arriving earlier in the morning when around 200 fans broke into spontaneous applause. |
Personalities from the sport and entertainment industries have also been outside the stadium, including the lead singer of Leicester rock band Kasabian, Tom Meighan. | Personalities from the sport and entertainment industries have also been outside the stadium, including the lead singer of Leicester rock band Kasabian, Tom Meighan. |
Mr Meighan, who joined grieving supporters, said the death of club owner Mr Vichai was like "losing a member of your family". | Mr Meighan, who joined grieving supporters, said the death of club owner Mr Vichai was like "losing a member of your family". |
Club ambassador Alan Birchenall said Leicester City owed "everything" to Mr Vichai. | Club ambassador Alan Birchenall said Leicester City owed "everything" to Mr Vichai. |
"There won't be a dry eye among any of the staff today," he added. | "There won't be a dry eye among any of the staff today," he added. |
A book of condolence will be opened at King Power Stadium from Tuesday morning and the team's match against Southampton in the EFL Cup, scheduled for that evening, has been postponed. | |
Many of the players have paid tribute to Mr Vichai on social media, including club captain Wes Morgan. | Many of the players have paid tribute to Mr Vichai on social media, including club captain Wes Morgan. |
He tweeted: "Absolutely heartbroken and devastated regarding the news of our chairman. A man that was loved and adored by everyone here at lcfc." | He tweeted: "Absolutely heartbroken and devastated regarding the news of our chairman. A man that was loved and adored by everyone here at lcfc." |
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". | |
Earlier on Monday, the Duke of Cambridge led tributes to Mr Vichai, calling him a "dedicated family man". | |
Prince William said Mr Vichai made a big contribution to football, adding Leicester City's Premier League title-winning season "captured the imagination of the world". | |
Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The outpouring of grief is a testament to how many people's lives were touched by those on board." | |
Mr Swaffer had over 20 years' flying experience as a private jet and helicopter pilot. | |
His career included piloting helicopters for live media broadcasting including Channel 4's The Big Breakfast and Virgin Radio traffic reports. | |
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 described him as a "funny and vivacious" man who was in an "aviation love story" with Ms Lechowicz, who was also a pilot. | |
"Not many people get to work and travel with their soulmate, travelling the world going to glamorous places," she said. | |
The couple lived together in Camberley, Surrey. Ms Lechowicz moved to the UK from Poland in 1997. | |
In a statement, the Polish embassy said: "She was a great pilot, winner of the #Polka100 contest. It contributed to the creation of a positive image of Poland in the UK." | |
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said inspectors would be at the crash site until the end of week before transporting the wreckage to specialist facilities in Farnborough. | The Air Accidents Investigation Branch said inspectors would be at the crash site until the end of week before transporting the wreckage to specialist facilities in Farnborough. |
"In the meantime, we are still gathering evidence as part of our investigation," a spokesman said. | "In the meantime, we are still gathering evidence as part of our investigation," a spokesman said. |
Italian aerospace company Leonardo, which built the helicopter, said it was "first ever accident involving an AW169 helicopter" and it was "ready to support the AAIB". | Italian aerospace company Leonardo, which built the helicopter, said it was "first ever accident involving an AW169 helicopter" and it was "ready to support the AAIB". |
Witnesses have been urged to contact Leicestershire Police. | Witnesses have been urged to contact Leicestershire Police. |