Leicester City helicopter crash: Chairman's household launch authorized declare

The household of the previous Leicester City chairman who died together with 4 others in a helicopter crash have filed a £2.15bn authorized declare towards the airplane's producer.

In October 2018, Vichai Sriwardhanaprabha was murdered together with fellow passengers Keweporn Punapare, Nusara Suknamai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his companion Isabella Rosa Lechowicz.

The compensation declare seeks cowl for lack of earnings and different damages, and is valued at greater than £2 billion.

Law agency Stewarts, which is representing the household, stated it was “the largest fatal accident claim in English history”.

The crash occurred roughly an hour after a house recreation with West Ham United on 27 October 2018, when the airplane took off from the membership's King Power Stadium and crashed shortly after.

Stewarts stated the High Court motion was launched on Friday.

One Investigation into the deaths is about to start On Monday, after greater than six years, eyewitnesses, emergency providers employees and company witnesses have been prepared to provide proof in entrance of a jury.

A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), printed in September 2023, Found that the accident was “unavoidable” A sequence of mechanical failures adopted, and that the pilot might do “little” to save lots of everybody on board.

Crispin Orr, chief inspector of air accidents on the AAIB, stated Mr Swaffer did all he might to regulate the Leonardo AW169 helicopter, however a catastrophic failure within the tail rotor resulted within the plane turning sharply to the suitable .

As the helicopter – which had reached a top of about 430 toes (131 metres) – was spinning uncontrolled, the AAIB stated, from the rear cabin the place Mr Vichai and his employees have been sitting, “Hey, hey, hey ” got here the voice. ,

In a voice recording of the airplane, Mr Swaffer was heard saying: “I don't know what's happening”, shortly earlier than the helicopter crashed onto a concrete step.

Investigation revealed that the helicopter had suffered a put on impact on the tail rotor after takeoff.

The shaft controlling the tail rotor then got here unfastened and separated, ensuing within the helicopter dropping the pilot's management.

The AAIB report acknowledged that the helicopter had complied with “all applicable airworthiness requirements” and had been correctly maintained earlier than the accident.

According to inspectors, put on on the rotor bearings was additionally discovered to extend over time and couldn’t be predicted.

The bearing test was required solely as soon as when it had been used for 400 hours, however the helicopter had solely been flown for 331 hours when the accident occurred.

One of the “contributing factors”, the AAIB stated, was that the principles don’t require upkeep checks to evaluate the situation of used bearings in comparison with their unique design.

Drone involvement and pilot error have been dominated out.

Peter Neenan, companion at Stewarts, stated: “Leonardo customers include national armies, air ambulances and other first responders around the world.

“It is important that all operators of these helicopters have confidence and trust in the machines.”

Mr Vichai's son Aiyavat Sriwardhanaprabha – who took over as chairman of Leicester City after his father's dying – stated: “My family feels the loss of my father more today than we have ever felt. Your children and their cousins ​​will never know.” His grandfather has elevated our struggling.

“We have considered the findings of the AAIB report and thought carefully about how we want to proceed,” he stated.

A spokesperson for Leonardo UK stated: “Leonardo has our deepest sympathies to those that misplaced their lives within the accident, they have been all clearly liked by their households, buddies and communities.

“His death was an undeniable tragedy. Leonardo is aware of the claim that has been issued in the English High Court by the family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and is considering it with its legal advisers and insurers. Leonardo intends to defend this claim. “Intend to.”