Shocker: Leicester City Owner’s Helicopter Crashes, Bursts Into Flames Outside Stadium (Photos)

A helicopter belonging to Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha burst into flames after it crashed yards away from the King Power stadium, moments after taking off from the pitch on Saturday night.

The condition of billionaire Mr Srivaddhanaprabha is not known, but he is believed to have been on board according to BT Sports pundits in the stadium who watched the helicopter take off.

A source close to the Srivaddhanaprabha family told the BBC the owner was on board, according to reports.

Witnesses reported seeing the Augusta Westland AW-169 aircraft suffering engine trouble and spinning out of control shortly after it took off from the centre-circle.

Early on Sunday fans began to arrive to the stadium with flowers, although it is not yet clear who was travelling in the helicopter at the time of the crash.

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha made his money in retail in Thailand and his King Power duty-free shops are in every airport in the Asian country.

The sound of the helicopter crash could be heard on a BT Sport post-match broadcast and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is said to have witnessed the crash and broke down in tears.

It is understood emergency services spent twenty minutes attempting to extinguish the flames.

Fans were gathered outside the stadium in the aftermath of the tragedy at the King Power Stadium in Leicester 

Police and ambulance services were unable to provide any details as to whether there had been any causalities.

Fans were shell-shocked and some broke down in tears as the helicopter plummeted to the ground near the club’s staff car park at around 8.30pm on Saturday, shortly after Leicester’s 1-1 draw with West Ham.

The £2million aircraft which has eight seats was spotted hovering over the south east corner of the ground before spluttering and spiraling to ground, near Filbert Way, and bursting into flames.

BT Sports cameras captured the moments leading up to the helicopter preparing for take-off as presenter Jake Humphreys seemed to confirm Mr Srivaddhanaprabha was on board.

Following the evening kick-off game on Saturday, the helicopter was seen landing on the centre circle of the pitch

Spectators at the game said they witnessed the helicopter spinning out of control and that there was a problem with the tail rotor of the aircraft.

One man, who wished not to be named, but has had a season ticket for over 40 years, told Sky News: ‘I saw Kasper Schmeichel run out first and then loads of security guards and stewards.

‘I was stood outside the ground but it crashed on the other side. I hope everyone is OK.’

Former England legend Peter Shilton and his wife witnessed the carnage unfold.

His partner Stephanie, 50, said: ‘We are both in shock on our way home. It happened straight in front of us as we were leaving the ground.

‘We don’t know what has happened. It’s horrendous. We need to know if everyone is OK. That’s the biggest thing. We just hope that everyone got out OK.’

A reporter for Sky Sports News said people were ‘running for their lives’ in the aftermath of the crash.

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha waves to fans after a Premier League clash between Leicester City and Southampton in April 2016. He was at the game but it is unclear whether he was on board the helicopter

Rob Dorsett said: ‘The car park was certainly it was still populated with people at the time whether that was members of staff leaving the stadium or spectators watching the game. It’s so close to the stadium, a couple of hundred metres – if that – from the stands. 

‘There has be to concern for people who are walking back to their cars or get buses back to the train station and any impact that would have.

‘An eye-witness and his nephew ran for their lives, they were that concerned they were going to be hit by the wreckage of the helicopter. It burst into flames as it hit the ground. There has to be concerns for people in and around the area after the game.

‘However, we must stress, the majority of the crowd would have left by that time.’ 

The helicopter took off from the centre circle of the pitch with stadium staff and pundits looking on – but moments later it began to spin out of control in the air

Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s and his entourage leaving the King Power by helicopter has become a familiar sight as he frequently takes off from the centre circle of Leicester’s ground.

It is unclear whether there were any injuries on the ground but Leicester’s vice-chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddanaprabha and Leicester Director of Football John Rudkin were not on board the helicopter, according to Sky sources.

Photographs near the crash site show at least one vehicle with its windows blown out and its roof burnt.

An ambulance and ambulance car was filmed driving slowly away from the King Power stadium shortly before 10.30pm.

Police remain on guard as an investigation takes place into how the helicopter came crashing back down to the ground 

Tim Acott, Leicester season ticket holder of 40 years, said: ‘It just came out of the stadium already spinning then down to the ground. 

‘Just in a spiral. It hit the ground with a big bang then burst into flames. It’s over on the other side of the car park, I don’t think there were people there. I’m shaking like anything.’ 

Freelance photographer Ryan Brown, who was covering the game, told BBC Radio 5 Live he saw the helicopter rise out of the stadium before it crashed.

‘Literally the engine stopped and I turned around, and it made a bit of a whirring noise. It turned silent, blades started spinning and then there was a big bang,’ he said.

He said he saw ‘a huge fireball’ when he ran to the scene.

A Leicester City fan named John, who was at the game today, told Sky Sports News: ‘We was in the bar facing the King Power – my nephew was in a real state of shock. He said he saw this helicopter out of control then drop within a second and burst into flames. 

‘He was so upset – we’re all thinking about the owners here and what they’ve done for the football club. It’s awful, you can’t believe it.’