Helicopter crash was accidental, inquest jury told

A coroner has directed a jury at an inquest into the deaths of five people who died in a helicopter crash outside Leicester City’s King Power stadium to return only an accidental finding.

On 27 October 2018, Fox Chairman Vichai Srivadhaprabhu was killed along with fellow passengers Kaewporn Pinpare, Nusra Sukanmai, pilot Eric Swaffer and his companion Isabella Rosa Lechowicz.

On Monday, coroner Catherine Mason addressed the jury, who is expected to retire soon, to rule on the deaths, as the inquest entered its third week at Leicester’s City Hall.

Professor Mason called the crash a “terrible tragedy” as he instructed the jury that only a causal conclusion could be reached.

She said: “The helicopter crash was a terrible tragedy which cost the lives of five people.

“These were remarkable individuals who were much loved and will be greatly missed.

“This hearing is to explain to the world how they came to die.”

The Coroner reported that the identity of the deceased and the medical cause of their deaths were not in dispute.

Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs performed post-mortem examinations on each of the five who died, and told to inquire in advance Ms Lechowicz died from injuries sustained from the impact of the accident.

He said the other four people on board would have died “quite rapidly” from smoke inhalation from the fire after the helicopter crashed outside the stadium on 27 October 2018.

Professor Mason also instructed the jury that while its findings on where, when and how he came to die could not legally dispute the findings of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).

An AAIB report, Published in September 2023found that the crash was “inevitable” after a sequence of mechanical failures, and said there was “little” the pilot could have done to save everyone on board.

The inquiry is ongoing.