The family of Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha sues for £2.15bn after his tragic helicopter crash in 2018
Leicester: The family of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the late chairman of Leicester City, is taking legal action against the helicopter manufacturer. This follows the tragic crash that claimed his life in 2018.
They’re suing Leonardo SpA for a whopping £2.15 billion. Vichai and four others lost their lives when their helicopter went down just outside the King Power Stadium.
This lawsuit is a big deal, being the largest fatal accident claim in English history. The family is seeking compensation for lost earnings and other damages due to Vichai’s untimely death.
It’s been over six years since the crash, and an inquest into the incident is set to start soon. Vichai’s son, Khun Aiyawatt, who now leads the club, expressed the deep pain his family feels.
He shared how his kids will never know their grandfather, which adds to their grief. He also mentioned that his father trusted Leonardo when he bought the helicopter, but the report revealed that trust was misplaced.
Vichai’s company, King Power, was doing incredibly well, raking in over £2.5 billion annually. The lawsuit claims that his vision and leadership were key to that success, which was lost with his passing.
The crash happened shortly after the helicopter took off following a match against West Ham. It hit a concrete step, and while some survived the initial impact, they all perished in the fire that erupted.
Alongside Vichai, two of his staff and the pilot and his girlfriend were also victims of this tragedy. Investigators found that a critical failure in the helicopter’s design led to the crash.
The lawsuit points to multiple failures in Leonardo’s design process and claims they didn’t adequately warn about the risks involved. Sky News has reached out to Leonardo for their side of the story.
