Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - A helicopter crash that k!lled Leicester City's owner and four other people at the King Power Stadium was an 'accident waiting to happen', his family has claimed.
The crash claimed the life of billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
alongside fellow passengers Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai, as
well as pilot Eric Swaffer and co-pilot Izabela Roza Lechowicz.
On Tuesday, January 28, the jury at Leicester City Hall recorded the
five de@ths as accidental.
Khun Vichai's family issued a statement shortly afterwards claiming that
the crash was 'inevitable, 'having launched a £2.15billion lawsuit before
the inquest began against helicopter manufacturer Leonardo S.p.A.
Philip Shepherd KC, representing the Thai businessman's family, read a
statement after the inquest which said the crash was 'an accident waiting to
happen'.
He said: 'Whilst it was no part of the inquest process to apportion
blame, the evidence heard during this inquest told the story of basic
engineering failures by Leonardo.
'The inquest heard evidence that the design was such that it was just a
matter of time before something catastrophic occurred, it was an accident
waiting to happen.
'They were innocent victims of a tragic accident that never needed to
happen.
'During the two-and-a-half-week inquest, the jury heard that the
helicopter crashed even though it was still new, even though it was properly
maintained, and even though it met the minimum certification standards, and
even though there was no pilot error whatsoever.
'The family of Khun Vichai continues to search for justice and
accountability.'
On Monday, senior coroner Catherine Mason had instructed the jury
before they began their deliberations that only an accidental conclusion could
be reached.
'The helicopter crash was a terrible tragedy that cost the lives of five
people,' she said.
'These were remarkable individuals who were greatly loved and will be
terribly missed. This hearing is to explain to the world how they came to die.'
The jury was told to 'accept and follow' the findings of the Air
Accidents Investigation Branch's (AAIB) probe into the crash, including that
the pilot took 'appropriate' measures and 'did not contribute' to the
helicopter's loss of control.
The inquest was told by Mark Jarvis, a principal inspector for the AAIB,
that the helicopter spun due to a mechanical fault.
A bearing in the tail rotor became 'seized', causing a control shaft to
rotate and become unscrewed.
The helicopter crashed onto its left-hand side on a concrete step,
leading to a 'substantial' fuel leak which ignited the rear of the aircraft
within a minute of the impact. Flames 'rapidly' consumed the helicopter.
The jury also heard that the helicopter had only flown for 330 hours and
was 'in the early stages of its life'.
The court heard that four of the five people k!lled in the crash d!ed
because of smoke inhalation after the fire broke out, while Ms Lechowicz
'likely d!ed at the point of impact' as a result of traumatic injuries to both
her head and chest.
Dr Michael Biggs, a forensic pathologist, told the inquest that there
was no evidence to suggest the pilot was medically incapacitated at the time of
the crash.
The jury was told that the report made it clear the pilot did 'nothing
wrong' and attempted to save the passengers by reducing the rate of the
helicopter's spin.
However, it was established that the 'crash landing was
inevitable'.
The jury's conclusion, which was read to the hearing by the foreperson,
said: 'The helicopter had all airworthiness and maintenance certificates.
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