The Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha’s helicopter crashed in a car park outside the club’s ground just after 8.30pm on Saturday.
It has emerged overnight that Srivaddhanaprabha was in the helicopter, a source close to the family told the BBC.
A Leicester season ticker holder told the BBC: “I saw Kasper Schmeichel run out first [from the stadium] and then loads of security guards and stewards.
“I was stood outside the ground but it crashed on the other side.”
It is not known how many other people were on board – although there are conflicting suggestions over whether it seats eight or 20 passengers.
It is understood Srivaddhanaprabha was leaving the stadium after Leicester had drawn 1-1 against West Ham.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Andrew Brodie tweeted regular updates on the situation overnight.
He wrote at 9.48pm: “IMPORTANT: Energency Services are dealing with a significant incident @lcfc King Power stadium. It’s essential you stay away and allow 999s free movement. More info will follow.”
At 1.13am he delivered a second update which read: “Leaving @leicspolice HQ after multiagency strategic meetings following helicopter incident. Clearly serious and tragic, please don’t speculate on cause or who may be involved. Think of families, friends, responders, and @LCFC and their fans.”
“Just visited the @LeicsFireRescue @leicspolice @EMASNHSTrust crews still on scene of the helicopter crash @LCFC. Honestly, your police, ambulance and fire responders are magnificent, caring and dedicated. Don’t ever forget it,” he added just before 2am.
Match of the Day commentator Alistair Mann appeared on the show last night and told Lineker: “Those of you who have been to Leicester over the last few years know it’s fairly common place for half an hour after the game, it goes up and takes him to wherever he wants to go.
“This was the situation again this evening. It’s a common situation but within barely seconds of it taking off and going above the stand over the top of the ground, it appears to have reached some difficulties and has come down.
“The impression I get is beyond the car parks that are immediately around the vicinity of the stadium but fairly nearby nonetheless.
“It’s come down, apparently there was smoke initially, then a pop and it seems to have become engulfed in flames.
“Look, we don’t know who is on board at this stage and we don’t know for sure those who got on to the helicopter, but ordinarily it takes the family, we can’t confirm if the chairman was on, we can’t confirm if any of his family members were on, I’m led to believe it’s normally a two-person crew.
“I believe that was the case this evening but we really don’t know for sure who was on board. That appears to be what happened.
“Because there was a game on tonight, the emergency services were in the vicinity so there was a very quick reaction and lots of police and ambulances and so on very quickly on to the scene to control the situation.
“It is a very serious situation but we really don’t know the extent of it just at the moment.”