Leicester City helicopter crash inquest begins as police officers’ desperate act to try and save victims is revealed – after five people including club chairman died in 2018 tragedy

The investigation into the tragic 2018 Leicester City helicopter crash revealed on Monday how police officers desperately tried to break the vehicle’s windscreen after it crashed.

Five people, including club president Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, 60, died in the accident that saw the helicopter burst into flames after the crash.

The plane spun out of control just seconds after taking off from Leicester’s King Power Stadium, spinning violently in a wasteland near the ground before bursting into flames.

Last week the club’s Thai billionaire owners entered a legal battle with the helicopter’s manufacturer, an Italian company called Leonardo SpA, demanding £2.15 billion in damages. It is the largest claim for compensation for fatal accidents in English legal history.

A September 2023 report found that there were safety concerns regarding the aircraft, that Leonardo could have made significant changes to avoid the crash, and that the pilot failed to prevent the crash after a tail rotor failure. It ruled the crash was “inevitable” and said the pilot could have done “very little” to prevent the crash.

At Monday’s inquest, jurors were shown footage of two police officers driving nearby and arriving on the scene within a minute of the crash.

The inquest heard how police officers tried to break the windscreen of the plane after it crashed (photo: pilots Eric Swaffer and Izabela Roza Lechowicz)

The helicopter had come to a stop on the left side and none of the doors were accessible.

For example, one of the officers used a baton to try to smash the windshield to see if they could help.

However, the coroner was told Catherine Mason was told the windscreen was a ‘very strong structure’ designed to withstand a collision with a bird at 180mph.

In a statement released ahead of the inquest, Khun Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, the son of Khun Vichai, who succeeded his father as chairman of Leicester City, said: “My family embraces the inquest and looks forward to the explanation of how and why my father lost his life, and what has been done to ensure that other families do not suffer the same terrible pain of loss that has been inflicted on us.’

Kate Lechowicz, sister of Izabela Lechowicz, added on behalf of the Lechowicz and Swaffer families: “The wait for the inquest has been agonizing, leaving many unanswered questions and frustrations lingering for more than six years since the tragic loss of our Eric and Izabela.

‘Aviation safety was close to their hearts, they will be watching this eagerly from a distance and would like to see changes that will prevent similar disasters in the future. Our children will never get to know their aunt and uncle, the adventures they had, except through the photos we have in our home and the stories we tell from our memories. We still miss them terribly.’

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s pen portrait continued: ‘His positive energy was infectious and he maintained it through hard work and discipline. He was always two steps away from everyone else.

‘Khun Vichai was a man of honor. Those who worked with him and signed a contract with him got his word. He made sure to sign all his staff’s birthday cards.

‘He has always reminded us of the importance of his staff. He showed no signs of slowing down.

Fellow passengers Nusara Suknamai (right) and Kaveporn Punpare (left) died in the crash

The helicopter, which reportedly had safety problems in 2013, caught fire after falling

A 2023 report ruled that the crash had been ‘inevitable’ due to safety deficiencies

In the aftermath of the tragedy, extensive tributes were paid outside the King Power Stadium

‘In 2004 he founded the King Power Foundation, which supports adults with mental health problems and disadvantaged children.

‘He also founded Leicester City’s Foxes Foundation, which aims to support local and national causes. Since its inception in 2011-12, the foundation has raised almost £2 million for local charities.”

The 2023 report revealed a terrifying scream from the pilot, Eric Swaffer, 53, as the helicopter went out of control.

“I have no idea what’s going on,” he had shouted.

Under Srivaddhanaprabha’s ownership after he bought them in 2010, Leicester City were promoted to the Premier League in 2014, survived in 2015 and won the title in 2016 by a margin of 5,000-1.

He, pilot Swaffer, his employees Nusara Suknamai, 32, and Kaveporn Punpare, 33, and Swaffer’s partner and professional pilot, Izabela Roza Lechowicz, 46, all died.

The inquest, expected to last three weeks, will investigate the mechanical cause of the crash.