'Hero' helicopter pilot may have saved many lives

The pilot at the helm of the Leicester City Football Club helicopter that crashed outside of the stadium has been lauded as a hero.

Just moments after taking off from the club’s pitch, the helicopter crashed and burst into flames in the stadium car park – claiming the lives of billionaire Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four others on-board.

A cameraman watching the extraordinary scenes unfold says the pilot guided the out-of-control aircraft away from people on the ground, and into an unpopulated corner of the car park.

“I heard the helicopter coming out of the stadium, saw it as you do, they are amazing pieces of machinery and then I just carried on walking thinking next time I look up it is going to be overhead,” cameraman Dan Cox told Sky News.

“The next thing I just looked up and it was just spinning, static just out of control, just a constant spinning, I have 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.”

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Mr Cox then began filming the fiery aftermath of the crash, as two police officers on the ground tried to get close to the wreckage to assist.

“To my mind the pilot was heroic and the two police offers in front of me, who also tried to help, they are heroes too,” he continued.

“It could have been so much worse if the pilot hadn’t done that.”

As reports from witnesses on the ground surfaced of the pilot’s apparent act of heroism, his efforts were praised online:

‘Broken heart’: Leicester confirm club owner has died

Premier League club Leicester City have confirmed Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was among five people who died when a helicopter crashed next to the stadium.

“It is with the deepest regret and a collective broken heart that we confirm out 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,” the statement read.

“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-bard at this time of unspeakable loss.

“It is a family that we will grieve his passing and maintain the pursuit of a vision for the Club that is now his legacy.

“Everyone at the Club has been truly touched by the remarkable response of the football family, whose thoughtful messages of support and solidarity have been deeply appreciated at this difficult time.”

The 60-year-old retail entrepreneur’s helicopter burst into flames shortly after taking off from the soccer field Saturday at the team’s King Power Stadium which is named after his duty-free chain.

The club did not name the other four victims but it is understood they are one of Srivaddhanaprabha’s two daughters, two pilots and a fifth person whose identity was not immediately known.

Leicester City boss reacts to club ‘tragedy’

Leicester City manager Claude Puel has labelled Saturday’s helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium as “a tragedy for the club”.

An aircraft belonging to chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha came down in a car park shortly after take-off at about 20:30 local time, around an hour after Puel’s side claimed a 1-1 draw against West Ham in the Premier League.

Some speculation on Saturday suggested Puel himself might have been on board but the 57-year-old confirmed he was safe in a telephone conversation with Jacques Vendroux of Radio France, in quotes reported on the Franceinfo website.

“It’s a tragedy for the club,” he said.

“I think very strongly about the victims and their families.

“I wanted to reassure everyone who cares about me, I’m terribly sad but I’m fine.”

with Agencies.