Leading racehorse owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha dies after helicopter crash at Leicester City stadium
The Leicester City chairman was leaving the King Power Stadium when his helicopter came down in a car park outside the ground
LEADING racehorse owner and Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died after his helicopter crashed on Saturday night, the club have confirmed.
The billionaire Thai was leaving Leicester City's ground when his helicopter came down and burst into flames.
Witnesses said the helicopter, which leaves the stadium on a regular basis after Leicester home games, seemed to lose control before spiralling to the ground.
Emergency services were quickly on the scene but all five people on board, including two members of his staff, the pilot and a passenger, were killed.
A Leicester statement released on Sunday said: "It is with the deepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm our chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, was among those to have tragically lost their lives on Saturday evening when a helicopter carrying him and four other people crashed outside King Power Stadium.
"None of the five people on board survived.
"The primary thoughts of everyone at the club are with the Srivaddhanaprabha family and the families of all those on board at this time of unspeakable loss.
"In Khun Vichai, the world has lost a great man. 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."
Srivaddhanaprabha had long been fanatical about racing and recently made headlines for splashing out on a number of horses under the King Power Racing Co Ltd banner.
The popular billionaire had spent the last year on the look-out for future stars to add to a list that already includes Group 2 winner Beat The Bank, Champions Sprint third Donjuan Triumphant and useful youngster Well Done Fox.
One of his most expensive recruits was two-year-old King Power, who was bought last year for 2.5 million guineas at Tattersalls.
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Trained by Andrew Balding, the filly made her debut at Newbury on Saturday just a few hours before the shock crash, finishing fifth.