Leicester helicopter crash: HERO pilot DELIBERATELY veered at car park to save fans’ lives

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the Premier League club’s Thai owner, was killed when his £6.6million aircraft bearing the team’s colours crashed seconds after taking off on Saturday night.

He is one of five to have lost his life.

Sitting alongside Mr Vichai was Nursara Suknama, 33, the runner-up in Miss Thailand Universe 2005. She was a member of Mr Vichai’s staff as was Kaveporn Punpare, from Bangkok, who was also in the aircraft.

Pilot Eric Swaffer, 53, and his long-term parnter Izabela Lechowicz, 46, have too been confirmed dead.

But without the actions of pilot Swaffer, the terrible scenes could have been even worse.

Witnesses said the pilot appeared to miss the 32,000-seater arena before the chopper crashed on wasteland next to the car park.

More than 1,000 staff, fans at a corporate level and media were still inside the stadium when the tragedy happened – but he veered the almost uncontrollable helicopter towards an isolated area, saving hundreds.

LEICESTER HELICOPTER CRASH: LATEST NEWS ON KING POWER TRAGEDY

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha, 61, was filmed boarding the Westland AW169 on the pitch with a woman companion. Seconds later it appeared to develop engine trouble as it headed away from the stadium.

One witness said: “If it had hit the stadium or even landed near the entrance, who knows what would have happened? “The pilot probably saved hundreds of lives.”

Leicester helicopter crash: Hero pilot Eric Swaffer saved hundreds of lives (Image: GETTY)

Leicester helicopter crash: Five died including Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (Image: GETTY)

Corporate guest Shane Carmichael, 32, said: “It’s a sight that will live with me for the rest of my days. Nobody could have survived.

“It was like a film. It was like the pilot was trying to get away from the stadium.

“Then it came down behind the factory next to the car park. It was a massive explosion, the whole place lit up.”

Two police officers tried to rescue victims by using a baton and a fire extinguisher to smash the windows.

Sky Sports cameraman Dan Cox said: “I heard it coming out of the stadium. I just looked up and it was spinning, static, just out of control, just a constant spinning. I’ve never seen anything like it.

“I don’t know how the pilot did it but he seemed to manage to slow down the spinning rotation and it drifted off into the corner part of the car park.

“It could have crashed where I was, in car park E, it could have crashed into the building. It could have crashed into the media compound where they were all packing up from doing TV.

Leicester helicopter crash: Fans have laid tributes at the King Power Stadium (Image: GETTY)

“But he managed to crash that helicopter in a part of the ground where there wasn’t anybody.

“To my mind the pilot was heroic and the two police officers who also tried to help are heroes too.”

Freelance photographer Ryan Brown said: “I heard the helicopter take off. I turned around and it made a whirring noise and grinding noise and then went silent. It was spinning out of control. The blades had stopped spinning and then there was a big bang and a big fireball.

“It just cleared the stadium roof and crashed in an industrial park next to it.”

Several Leicester City players were still inside the stadium after their team’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United. One witness claimed goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel tried to run to the scene to help.

High-profile Leicester City fans and ex-stars spoke of their devastation. Rockers Kasabian tweeted: “We are really shocked and saddened by the events of last night.

“Our thoughts are with everyone at LCFC, their friends and their families.”

Former Leicester manager Sven-Goran Eriksson described Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s contribution to the club as “incredible”.

Foxes legend Gary Lineker, who presented Match Of The Day that evening, tweeted: “That was the most difficult I’ve ever hosted. A terrible tragedy. Heartbreaking.”

Three-time world snooker champion and Leicester fan Mark Selby said: “Very tough day. Still hanging on to that bit of hope.”

Ex-Foxes player Robbie Savage said his thoughts and prayers were with everyone at his old club.

Leicester helicopter crash: Fans have laid tributes at the King Power Stadium (Image: GETTY)

Leicester helicopter crash: Fans have laid tributes at the King Power Stadium (Image: GETTY)

The aircraft was flying to Luton Airport, where Mr Srivaddhanaprabha was due to catch a private jet to Bangkok.

His son Top, chief executive of King Power International, was last night on his way to the UK.

Father-of-four Mr Srivaddhanaprabha bought Leicester in 2010 and became chairman the following February. His cash injection helped the unfancied Midlands club become Premier League champions in 2016.

Thousands of football fans left flowers at a makeshift shrine outside the stadium’s North Stand yesterday. A Wolves shirt bore the words: “Divided by colours, united by grief.”

Later, a group of young Thai footballers on a scholarship to Leicester City prayed at the shrine.

While Schmeichel, who stayed at the crash site until the early hours of the morning, has posted an emotional letter on Twitter to pay tribute.

He said: “Dear Mr Chairman, I cannot believe this is happening.

“I am so totally devastated and heartbroken. I just cannot believe what I saw last night. It just doesn’t seem real.

Leicester helicopter crash: Fans have laid tributes at the King Power Stadium (Image: GETTY)

Leicester helicopter crash: Fans have laid tributes at the King Power Stadium (Image: GETTY)

“It is difficult to put into words how much you have meant to this football club and to the city of Leicester. We all know about the investment in the football club you and your family have made. But this is about so much more.

“You cared so deeply for not just the club but for the entire community. Your endless contribution to Leicester’s hospitals and charities will never be forgotten. You went above and beyond in every aspect.

“Never have I ever come across a man like you. So hard working, so dedicated, so passionate, so kind and so generous in the extreme. You had time for everyone. You touched everyone. It didn’t matter who it was, you had time for them. I always admired you as a leader, as a father and as a man.

“You changed football. Forever! You gave hope to everyone that the impossible was possible, not just to our fans, but to fans all over the world in any sport! Not many people have done that.

“When you signed me back in 2011 you said to me we would be in the Champions League within six years and we would do great things. You inspired me and I believed in you. You made me feel like nothing was impossible.

“Without and your family, all this, everything we did together, everything we achieved would never have happened. You gave me experiences that only happen in fantasy.

“You literally made my dreams come true.”