Ben STANSALL / AFP
A helicopter that crashed on Saturday near the stadium of UK football club Leicester City belonged to Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, a report said.
Sky Sports broadcast pictures of what it said was the helicopter in flames, reporting it belonged to the club’s owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
The helicopter crashed in the club’s car park close to its King Power Stadium following Saturday’s Premier League game against West Ham.
Sky Sports said the helicopter took off from the pitch between 8.30pm-8.45pm local time (1930-1945 GMT) but developed problems shortly afterwards with its tail rotor.
“We are dealing with an incident in the vicinity of the King Power Stadium. Emergency services are aware and dealing,” the police said.
Thai businessman Srivaddhanaprabha, who has poured millions into the club, often leaves the stadium in his helicopter, which takes off from the pitch, when he attends a Leicester home game.
It is not clear if Srivaddhanaprabha was on board or not and the identities of the pilot and passengers on board on have not yet been confirmed. It is also not yet known if anyone on the ground was injured.
A witness told Sky News, “I hope they’re okay. Doesn’t seem like they have had much of a chance. Just burst into flames.”
The ambulance service tweeted, “We are also in attendance and will update when possible.”
Srivaddhanaprabha bought the club in 2010 and became chairman the following February.
It was under the ownership of Srivaddhanaprabha that Leicester created one of the biggest shocks in English football history by winning the 2015/16 Premier League, having started the season as 5,000/1 outsiders for the title.
AFP
