The deaths of five people, including Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium were accidental, according to an inquest jury on Tuesday.
Srivaddhanaprabha, a Thai tycoon, was killed along with four others when his helicopter crashed in the club’s car park and then exploded after a Premier League match on Oct. 27, 2018.
The Leonardo AW169 helicopter had cleared the top of the stadium before starting to spin, and plummeted to the ground before bursting into flames.
Along with Srivaddhanaprabha, the crash also killed pilot Eric Swaffer, Izabela Lechowicz, Nusara Suknamai and Kaveporn Punparev. The inquest lasted two-and-a-half weeks.
Philip Shepherd, the Srivaddhanaprabha family’s legal representative, said Swaffer was a “highly competent and very experienced pilot who did everything in his power” to control the helicopter when the tail rotor failed shortly after takeoff.
Srivaddhanaprabha’s family are actively continuing their legal action against Italian defence company Leonardo, the manufacturer of the helicopter, and seeking compensation for loss of earnings and other damages, valued at £2.15 billion ($2.67b).
It is the largest fatal accident claim in English legal history. Leonardo said this month that it would defend itself against the High Court claim.
It expressed its “deepest sympathy” for the victims of the crash, saying their deaths were “an unquestionable tragedy”.