Leicester City helicopter crash that killed five people ruled accidental at jury inquest

The tragic helicopter crash which claimed the lives of ‘s owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others has been officially declared an accident after a meticulous three-week inquest.

The Foxes’ beloved Khun Vichai, alongside passengers Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer, and Mr Swaffer’s partner Izabela Lechowicz, all died in the harrowing incident outside King Power Stadium following a match against West Ham on October 27, 2018.

In a heartbreaking conclusion on Tuesday, the jury returned a conclusion to coroner Prof Catherine Mason that the catastrophe was accidental. Investigative insights from AAIB principal inspector Mark Jarvis revealed the pilot did everything that he could to avoid the crash but was ultimately unsuccessful in his efforts.

Addressing the court, Philip Shepherd KC, representative for Khun Vichai’s family, stressed that the victims were “innocent victims of a tragic accident that never needed to happen”.

Jurors were shown an animation of the helicopter’s fatal mechanical breakdown and also heard from pathologist Michael Biggs, who spoke of how those who passed away died ‘quite quickly’ from smoke inhalation as the Leonardo-manufactured helicopter ignited.

Meanwhile, the family of Khun Vichai is pursuing a £2.15 billion compensation suit against the manufacturer, Leonardo – a claim they believe to be unparalleled in UK legal history.

Reflecting on the profound loss, Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, son of Khun Vichai, said: “My father trusted in the design of this helicopter. It was Leonardo’s responsibility to make sure the helicopter was safe. It wasn’t safe. It was a death trap.

“My family are thankful to Senior Coroner Mason for her inquest which has shone a spotlight on what happened on 27 October 2018.

“The leader of our family, a caring and devoted husband, father and grandfather, we feel my father’s loss every day. A one-of-a-kind, investor in dreams, it is impossible to put my father into words. Thank you, Leicester, for your outpouring support. We miss him and feel his loss every day.”

Mr Shepherd KC said: “Whilst it was no part of the inquest process to apportion blame, the evidence heard during this inquest told the story of basic engineering failures by Leonardo.

“While the accident sequence began with the seizure of a critical bearing, which led to a cascade of failures in the tail rotor system that was vital for keeping the helicopter under control, the causes of this tragedy can be traced back to fundamental design errors and the failure to mitigate known risks.”